[Evochamp]

Hi, I would like to know if I want to buy an iPhone 8 or X from UAE, will FaceTime work if the first setup is in Egypt, where we have FaceTime active?

[darius_robin]

Depends, if you buy it from uae.souq.com (I recommend you do so), then you have the choice of the iPhone with or without FaceTime. Most other retailers (including Apple.com/ae and Apple Stores) only offer the phones without FaceTime, no matter where you activate it.

[Evochamp]

Depends, if you buy it from uae.souq.com (I recommend you do so), then you have the choice of the iPhone with or without FaceTime. Most other retailers (including Apple.com/ae and Apple Stores) only offer the phones without FaceTime, no matter where you activate it.

Bought one from Apple UAE (didn’t receive yet), as Apple support told me, if I use with an unrestricted FaceTime SIM, FaceTime will work.

[darius_robin]

Bought one from Apple UAE (didn’t receive yet), as Apple support told me, if I use with an unrestricted FaceTime SIM, FaceTime will work.

Well, I never knew that. The two major carriers in the UAE, Du and Etisalat, have blocked VoIP services, including FaceTime and WhatsApp calling. I don’t know how changing the SIM is going to work.

[Evochamp]

True, it is the carrier that blocks FaceTime, my older iPhone 6 Plus was from Jarir in Saoudy Arabia and FaceTime worked fine when I used my Egyptian Vodafone SIM (never used it in SA really).

[darius_robin]

True, it is the carrier that blocks FaceTime, my older iPhone 6 Plus was from Jarir in Saoudy Arabia and FaceTime worked fine when I used my Egyptian Vodafone SIM (never used it in SA really).

But, some models have been specifically made for countries like UAE. My iPad 3 didn’t have the app itself. My iPhone 7 has the FaceTime app, with a Du SIM or without.

Take this for example.
This one doesn’t have FaceTime: https://uae.souq.com/ae-en/apple-iph...er-24051449/i/
This one has FaceTime: https://uae.souq.com/ae-en/apple-iph...er-24051435/i/

Somehow, the one with FaceTime is slightly cheaper.

[Evochamp]

But, some models have been specifically made for countries like UAE. My iPad 3 didn’t have the app itself. My iPhone 7 has the FaceTime app, with a Du SIM or without.

Take this for example.
This one doesn’t have FaceTime: https://uae.souq.com/ae-en/apple-iph...er-24051449/i/
This one has FaceTime: https://uae.souq.com/ae-en/apple-iph...er-24051435/i/

Somehow, the one with FaceTime is slightly cheaper.

Well, I’ll update you when I receive the phone hopefully next week.

[ahmedsaad89]

Any updates, please?

[Evochamp]

Any updates, please?

Hello, very sorry for being late to update. Yes off course FaceTime works on my iPhone X which I purchased from the UAE APPLE Store, using Vodafone Egypt’s SIM card.

[BossyBigBoss]

Hi, I would like to know if I want to buy an iPhone 8 or X from UAE, will FaceTime work if the first setup is in Egypt, where we have FaceTime active?

FaceTime is absent in Apple devices that was made for UAE.
Even VPN for du or Etisalat can't help. Also they blocks FaceTime on a SIM level. So, if you visit UAE you need to take out local du or Etisalat SIM an use FT on WiFi.

[Evochamp]

FaceTime is absent in Apple devices that was made for UAE.
Even VPN for du or Etisalat can't help. Also they blocks FaceTime on a SIM level. So, if you visit UAE you need to take out local du or Etisalat SIM an use FT on WiFi.

Thanks for the reply, but what do you mean by FT on WiFi?

[Tartarus]

Thanks for the reply, but what do you mean by FT on WiFi?

FT = FaceTime
He means that you will only be able to use FaceTime over WiFi and not over cellular data.