Why is it not worth buying an iPhone 11 in the US?

A very common custom of Spaniards who travel to the United States is to take advantage and buy an iPhone there, because as they do not have our high tax rate, even with the dollar conversion not being the best, it is still much cheaper than buy the iPhone in Spanish stores. However, with the new iPhone 11, specific care must be taken, the models sold there do not are fully compatible with our 4G.

Apple has confirmed that the US model is not compatible with the 4G 700MHz used by Spanish operators. Therefore, the American iPhone 11 even works on the 4G of Spain, however, the speed reached on the network is lower than the iPhone model sold in Spain, or on other smartphones sold in Spain (Chinese may also have this problem).

On iPhone XS/XS Max and XR, the same issue occurred. In addition to the new iPhones, which include all models, Apple's smartwatches, better known as Apple Watch Series 5, also do not work on the 700 MHz frequency of Spanish 4G.

This means that your internet on a model imported from the United States will be slower, especially the 4G from Claro, Tim and Vivo, which uses the 700 MHz frequency. Who is a customer of the operator Oi, will not feel the difference, since this operator still suffers from the impediment of the 28 band, which makes it impossible for Oi to provide the fastest 4G internet to its customers, as we talk about in this article.

In Spain, the American iPhone 11 only works on the following bands and frequencies:

• Band 1, 2.100 MHz;
• Band 3, 1.800 MHz;
• Band 5, 850 MHz;
• Band 7, 2.600 MHz.

In practice, what happens is that the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, as well as the Apple Watch Series 5, and the models launched last year, have a lower internet quality in places with little coverage or a higher level of interference. Depending on these interferences, 4G may not even work, taking you back to the 3G times.

iPhone 11 pricing in Spain, US and Europe

If you are a Claro, Vivo or Tim customer, and you are used to high internet speed, want to buy an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 11 Pro Max and not have slow internet, there are some alternatives. The first is obvious: Buying an iPhone 11 in Spain. But of course, for that, you'll have to be willing to pay a small fortune, in addition to having to wait for the official launch of Apple's new smartphone in Spain.

Another alternative is to look for the European model, which is compatible with the Spanish 4G 700 MHz. If you are going to buy an iPhone in Euros, know that it may still be worth the costs, as the iPhone is expected to be launched in Portugal at €829 for the cheapest model, which in direct conversion costs about R$ 3.725 for the iPhone 11. The iPhone 11 Pro model costs €1.179, that is, R$5.300, and the top model iPhone 11 Pro Max costs €1.279, which in direct conversion costs about R$5.750.

In the United States, new iPhones are cheaper than in Europe. The iPhone 11 arrives on the 20th in the US, starting at US$ 699 (about R$ 2.850). The iPhone 11 Pro starts at US$999 (R$4.075) and the top model, the iPhone 11 Pro Max, starts at US$1.099 (R$4.485).

In short:

* Although Apple has not yet announced the official values ​​for the iPhone 11 line in Spain, we have taken into account the values ​​in Reais based on the launch prices of the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max last year, since in the United States, the Apple kept the launch price this year compared to last year.

As you can see in the table above, buying in the United States is more advantageous than buying in Europe, however, with the obstacle of complete incompatibility with our Spanish 4G, it might be a good buy in Europe.

Apple Watch Series 5 pricing in the US and Europe

Just like the new lineup of iPhones 11 launched this year, Apple has launched its new smartwatch with the same launch values ​​as the previous generation, the Apple Watch Series 4. And just like smartphones, the smartwatch goes through the same problem when it comes to of connectivity with the Spanish 4G.

But also in this case, the European model will be compatible with our 4G internet. Let's compare values ​​to have an idea if it's worth importing from the United States, Europe, or buying here.

The Apple Watch Series 5 in the 4G and GPS version arrives in the United States at a cost of US$399. In Europe, the Apple Watch Series 5 can be purchased for €459,00. Check out this comparison in reais, just below:

* Apple Watch Series 4 launch price in Spain.

As you can see, both in the case of the new iPhone and the Apple Watch, although the conversion into Euros can be a little more salty than the conversion into Dollars, it is still cheaper than buying in Spain. In addition, buying in Europe, it is certain that the devices will work with our 4G internet in its fastest version.