Are we being shafted?

[Anonymous]

Can someone tell me why us UK folk always seem to get the bad deals? The 5S is being released in the US and they are paying $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64GB but us poor folk are paying £549, £629 and £709 respectively...what gives?

Can the Apple UK guys not do something in relation to this or is it possible to buy a sim free phone from the states and use it over here?

[Anonymous]

I don't think you are comparing like with like - the $199 as I understand is the upfront cost on a 24 month contract.

Although I did see an article where $549 translated to £549, which is the "normal" US$ > £ rip-off

[Anonymous]

Talk to the guys across the pond on well known Mac Forums.

They talk about having to pay taxes on their phones, not being unable to unlock them as easy as we do in the Uk, having phones where the sim is implanted in some models, so you cant switch networks.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

Some American networks actually charge a person to receive a text message !

[Deag · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Can someone tell me why us UK folk always seem to get the bad deals? The 5S is being released in the US and they are paying $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64GB but us poor folk are paying £549, £629 and £709 respectively...what gives?

Can the Apple UK guys not do something in relation to this or is it possible to buy a sim free phone from the states and use it over here?

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The price in the US will be the subsidised price on a 2 year contract and excludes sales taxes etc. The UK price you are seeing in the Apple store is unsubsidised with 20% VAT included. If you do a direct liek for like comparison we pay about £50 more at pre-tax prices for an unsubsidies phone.

A US unsubsidised (no contract) iPhone 5s 16GB phone is US$649 which equates to £413 pre tax. Add VAT at 20% and that becomes £496 and we pay £549.