What is the different between factory unlocked and unlocked 4s?

If you are in the US, there are just two things to watch for - some iPhones are non-contract, others are unlocked. (of course, there are also all the others that come with. Carrier contract). Non-contract means you get it for a carrier like Verizon, but do not have to buy into a contract. Unlocked can come in to ways, factory unlocked means it was never locked to begin with. Older iPhones may be made unlocked (after being locked) by the carrier.

They're the same thing. Unlocked means that it is not tied to any one carrier.

"Factory unlocked" is a term used by non-Apple dealers to describe phones that they have hacked to unlock. The "factory" is their back room. Apple simply sells phones as "unlocked". Carriers that sell unlocked phones also just call them "unlocked". iPhones are never unlocked in a factory where they are made. What makes a phone unlocked is an entry in Apple's activation database that shows either the carrier it is locked to or "unlocked". For phones that Apple sells as unlocked the database record is already marked. For carrier unlocked phones the carrier sends an electronic request to Apple to unlock the phone; Apple then updates the activation database.

Called AppleCare & they said is unlocked, and mentions AT&T. Think Apple unlocked it. Possiblly, this was unsold when iPhone 5 came out. Won't let me add 5 points to your level 7

😉Thank you for your suggestions!!➕🙂

Message was edited by: DizzyM

So I made a BIG mistake buying a 'New factory unlocked 64 GB iPhone 4S for $700??

If you bought it from Apple, there'd be no problem but Is Apple selling unlocked phones yet? If you bought it somewhere else, yeah you probably got scammed.

This is a 4S, not a 5. Claims release date of unlocked 4S was 11/11/2011. Its sealed. I just want to change from 16 GB iPhone 4 to this 64 GB 4S moving my SIM card from 4 to 4S.

Call AppleCare, give them the model and serial numbers, and they can tell you if it is unlocked and, if not, which cell carrier it is locked with.

I still have the new one sealed. The back info shows GSM, no sign of Verizon/ Sprint info. I have no problems with my AT&T service.

Sounds legit but you won't know until you open it and try it.