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While an Indian iPhone will usually work in USA and Canada, there are variables related to locked/unlocked, network compatibility and physical SIM vs. eSIM

When travelling or immigrating to the USA or Canada, one doubt people have is whether their iPhone will work at these overseas locations. The quick answer is that most modern versions such as iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and their variants should work in the USA and Canada. However, there can be other factors at play. Let us take a look.

Cellular bands – In the USA, LTE bands used are 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17, 25, 26 and 41. All leading carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile use these bands. 5G bands used in the USA are n41, n71, n77, n78, n260 and n261. You can check if your Indian iPhone supports these bands. If it is a match, your Indian iPhone is likely to work in the USA. For Canada, you can check LTE bands 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 12 and 17 and 5G bands like n41, n66, n71 and n78.

Locked or unlocked – It is possible that your Indian iPhone could be carrier-locked by the respective company such as Airtel or Jio. In this case, you will need to get the iPhone unlocked before you can use it with a US or Canadian SIM or eSIM. If you already have an unlocked Indian iPhone, you can use it with any US or Canadian SIM or eSIM.

mmWave 5G – While Indian iPhones support 5G, ultra-fast 5G on bands n260/n261 under mmWave 5G are only supported by iPhones sold in the USA. Even Canada has limited availability of mmWave 5G. So, you will still be able to access 5G speeds with your Indian iPhone in the USA and Canada. But you will not be able to access the ultra-fast mmWave 5G.

Physical SIM vs. eSIM – Indian iPhone versions 14/15/16 have a physical SIM slot and eSIM support. In the USA, iPhone 14/15/16 versions are equipped with only eSIM. There is no physical SIM slot. However, that should not be a problem, as your Indian iPhone has both physical SIM and support for eSIM.

Power and charging – iPhone chargers support dual voltage, 100-240 volts, which means your Indian iPhone charger will work in the USA and Canada. These countries have 120V power outlets. However, you will need a Type A/B plug adapter for US/Canadian power outlets. For iPhones 12 and later, you will need a compatible USB-C power adapter with 20 watt or higher rating.

Warranty and repairs – Warranty could be an issue, as Apple’s standard one-year warranty applies only to the specific region where it was purchased. So, the warranty on your Indian iPhone may not be accepted in the USA and Canada. You will have to bear the cost of the repairs from your own pocket. Or you can get the iPhone repaired after you return to India. If you are planning to stay long term in the USA or Canada, you can choose AppleCare+ package that provides international warranty coverage among other benefits.