When shopping for an unlocked iPhone XS, you may run into a few different model numbers. In order to ensure 100% compatibility with your wireless network, it’s important to know the differences between them. In this post we’ll go over the different unlocked iPhone XS models you may run into, whether you’re buying on Swappa or elsewhere. This way you can be sure that the unlocked iPhone XS you’re looking at fully supports your carrier’s wireless network.
This post is part of our Unlocked iPhone Buyers Guide, which covers everything you need to know when buying an unlocked iPhone.
iPhone XS model A1920
With the iPhone XS, Apple makes it easy for people to find an unlocked iPhone that works on their wireless carrier. In 2018, Apple introduced only a single unlocked iPhone XS model for carriers in the USA: A1920. Being that there’s only a single unlocked US variant, this makes it dead simple to figure out which unlocked iPhone XS is compatible with your wireless carrier.
The A1920 is the de facto iPhone XS for the US, once sold as the “SIM-free” option by Apple and used for AppleCare replacement devices. This version is fully compatible with all wireless carriers in the US — working on both GSM and CDMA networks — and is the preferred model for anyone living in the states. If you want an unlocked iPhone XS that works with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, the A1920 is your best bet.
iPhone XS model A2091
While the A1920 is the GSM + CDMA model and is fully compatible with any US carrier (including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint), the A2091 is Apple’s GSM-only version that has better support for GSM networks (AT&T and T-Mobile) and worldwide carriers, but does not support CDMA networks like Verizon.
Lack of CDMA support might not be a big deal since most carriers are already in the process of retiring their CDMA networks in favor of 4G LTE, something the A2091 does support. Since Apple didn’t technically sell this model in the states, it’s not even available in the Swappa marketplace.
There’s also the iPhone XS A2097 which is the “global model” for European and Asian markets (although it also shares some compatibility with US carriers), and an A2098 model intended for Japanese carriers. So, what’s the difference between the unlocked iPhone XS A1920 (US) and A2091 (Europe)?
| iPhone XS 1920 | iPhone XS A2091 |
|---|---|
| AT&T | AT&T |
| T-Mobile | T-Mobile |
| Verizon | Cricket Wireless |
| Cricket Wireless | Metro PCS |
| MetroPCS | Mint Mobile |
| Mint Mobile | Straight Talk |
| Straight Talk | Lycamobile |
| US Cellular | Simple Mobile |
| Visible | Walmart Family Mobile |
| Etc. | Etc. |
iPhone XS A1920 supports the following LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 66, 71.
iPhone XS A2091 supports the following LTE Bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 66
US Carrier LTE Network Bands
| Verizon | AT&T | T-Mobile | Sprint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 Band 4 Band 5 Band 13 Band 66 | Band 2 Band 4 Band 5 Band 12 Band 14 Band 17 Band 29 Band 30 Band 66 | Band 2 Band 4 Band 5 Band 12 Band 66 Band 71 | Band 25 Band 26 Band 41 |
Unlocked devices can generally be used on any compatible cellular network, rather than being restricted to one specific carrier. There are two types of unlocked phones: factory unlocked and carrier unlocked.
A factory unlocked phone means it was originally sold as unlocked, straight from the factory. A carrier unlocked, on the other hand, means it was originally intended for a specific carrier, but was later unlocked by that carrier allowing it be used on other networks.
On Swappa, our unlocked device category are exclusively for factory unlocked phones that are not, and were not previously tied to a single carrier. Start shopping the best deals on a factory unlocked iPhone XS by using the button below.
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