Facetime Audio - IOS7 - iPhone 5 - Not present

Sounds like a it's a major problem, hm, may I ask you to contact Apple using the link provided here: https://getsupport.apple.com/Issues.action

I just got off a Chat with Apple Care, and it's an intended restriction:

I know that for a list of iOS 7 features and availability, you can visit the Apple website. I can certainly understand how you feel in this situation as well, Paul, especially if FaceTime is a feature you utilize often. Please note that the decision to disable the FaceTime audio in devices sold in China is to adhere to regulations in that region.

The only option I have is to return my device for a refund but then I would have to try and source one from another country. I am throughly annoyed that this is not widely known.

Hi

Lack of Face Time Audio is due to carrier restriction. Meaning the SIM card you have in your iPhone is from of the 2 or 3 official carriers, and/or, if you bought your iPhone through one of the 2 (soon to be 3) official carriers (Unicom or China Telecom - soon to be third China Mobile).

Not any country restriction.

It is not a political thing

It is an economic thing. Carriers have been given the right to block it or not.

Face Time Video uses data. Alot of it. Face Time Audio also ofcourse uses the data port, but it is taking away international talk revenue (if used for international calls).

If you are using a non-China carrier SIM in yr iPhone, such as the person with the Korean SIM card, then it means that he purchased his iPhone through the official carrier in China and not a truely unlocked phone in the sense that most people use the term unlocked phone, or, bought it at a 3rd party store in China that actually got the iPhone from one of the official carriers.

MMS if you recall, was not on the very first iPhone. It was introduced in the 2nd model in the USA. But when the iPhone launched in many Asian markets, MMS was blocked by the carriers as they thought they wouldnt be able to handle the data traffic or some such excuse like that. It was carrier specific just like Face Time Audio is.

Thanks

Hi,

How do you check whether the iPhone that I bought is from official carrier and not truly unlocked?

Thank you so much for your comprehensive answer btw, it clears up a lot 🙂

Hi

Thanks.

Can you pls tell us the iPhone model you have?

If iPhone 5, the only model that both official carriers were officially selling was model A1442.

If iPhone 5s, the only model that both official carriers are currently officially selling is: A1533 (if CDMA from China Telecom) and A1528 (if GSM from China Unicom)

Incidentally, if you bought your iPhone in HK it is OK and totally SIM free and universally unlocked. This is model A1429 if iPhone 5, and A1530 if iPhone 5s.

Thanks

it's iphone 5S, the model number is A1528.

So, does that mean it's not unlocked? what happenned when I bring it out of China or some other carrier?

Hi

It is likely that model A1528 will not have Face Time Audio when taken out of China and used with a local SIM from some other country.

It is also possible that a software upgrade in the future might unlock that feature at some point in time. It all depends on what apple and the official carriers in China would decide about potentially making that feature available on that serial model number in the future.

Thanks

unlocked apple 5s recently bought in Apple store in Shanghai, China.

No facetime audio. why Apple? why?

if CCTV finds out....

FaceTime for family and FaceTime audio for work are the main reasons I bought a new IPhone for use in China. Great! I use the same phone overseas but switch out my SIM. Hope this hoes away.