iPhone 8/Plus Downloading from the US App Store vs. a foreign country

[AMSOS]

Is it possible to download an App Store app while on foreign soil while using a locally sold iPhone?
A friend once told me he tried to get the Bank of America app on an iPhone bought in India (using an Indian phone carrier) and it wouldn't let him download the app. There was some issue about having to change over to the US App Store.
I am asking for a friend currently based in the US. She uses the BOA app on an unlocked iPhone bought here. Will she be able to download this app from the India App Store on an iPhone bought in that country?
Thanks!

 

[Shirasaki]

Of course.
As long as you have proper payment methods (credit card/App Store credit) and App Store account for that country or region, you can download all apps just fine and use them. App themselves may implement region locks in various ways but that’s outside of what App Store governs.

 

[ericwn]

You are correct that an Apple ID is tied to a specific country of residence. With a US Apple ID you will be able to use the US App Store, and the same for other IDs from other countries. If the app is offered in that App Store then you are good to go. But not all apps are published in all countries - which comes down to the developers.

 

[russell_314]

It is possible to have two Apple IDs from different regions on the same iPhone. At least it was a few years ago when I did it. Now every time I restore from backup it asks for the password to the other Apple ID that I no longer use ?

 

[ericwn]

It is possible to have two Apple IDs from different regions on the same iPhone. At least it was a few years ago when I did it. Now every time I restore from backup it asks for the password to the other Apple ID that I no longer use

I think when you sign out of the first ID and into the other one you stop any updates from apps that are purchased from the first one. In return you probably need to authenticate with both IDs after a restore to pull all apps back from the cloud onto the device.

 

[AMSOS]

You are correct that an Apple ID is tied to a specific country of residence. With a US Apple ID you will be able to use the US App Store, and the same for other IDs from other countries. If the app is offered in that App Store then you are good to go. But not all apps are published in all countries - which comes down to the developers.

I see. So, it is really the bank I will have to contact in case there is an issue with downloading their app on an iPhone purchased outside the US?
If the bank does not allow that, will changing to the US App Store allow for downloading the app?

 

[AMSOS]

I think when you sign out of the first ID and into the other one you stop any updates from apps that are purchased from the first one. In return you probably need to authenticate with both IDs after a restore to pull all apps back from the cloud onto the device.

Oh, I checked and she will just use the same Apple ID. More like buy a new iPhone in India and still login with the same Apple ID she is using with her US phone now.

 

[ericwn]

Oh, I checked and she will just use the same Apple ID. More like buy a new iPhone in India and still login with the same Apple ID she is using with her US phone now.

Should be fine than except for the local apps that the devs only offer in one or two stores.

 

[Shirasaki]

Oh, I checked and she will just use the same Apple ID. More like buy a new iPhone in India and still login with the same Apple ID she is using with her US phone now.

Do keep in mind that iPhone sold in different regions offer different features, so the iPhone bought in India may have features enabled/disabled by default that you cannot change settings afterwards. Reinstalling iOS will not help cause it’s tied to the region the device is sold in.

 

[Shirasaki]

If the bank does not allow that, will changing to the US App Store allow for downloading the app?

The bank really don’t care if a user downloads their app in a phone bought from a different region or whatever. As long as she has US App Store account, you will be able to download the app without any problem.