Analyst, iPhone Dev Team disagree on impact of iPhone warning
Commenting on Apple's statement Monday about unlocked iPhones, American Technology analyst Shaw Wu said the matter is likely to impact only a small percentage of iPhone customers, namely "hackers." Representatives for the unofficial iPhone Dev Team, however, disagree.
"While this announcement may cause some controversy and create headlines, we believe this impacts a small group of users, namely hackers," Wu wrote in a note to clients. "[B]ut we believe for the majority of users, the impact will be minimal, if any."
The analyst said Apple was likely compelled to take a strong stand on iPhone unlocking -- which enable the handsets to run on unauthorized carriers -- for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, he said, the company wants to ensure its mobile phone platform remains stable and secure.
Apple also has a an obligation to meet its contractual obligations with AT&T (and other European wireless carriers), Wu explained. Then, of course, there's also a financial incentive on the part of the iPhone maker to keep users on its authorized carriers, as it receives a portion of the monthly fees from iPhone users signed up with those carriers.
Not surprisingly, representatives from the unofficial iPhone Dev Team -- a group of programmers responsible for one of the most widely distributed iPhone unlocking solutions -- disagrees over the scope of the matter.
In statement released Tuesday, the group said download totals from its own iPhone unlocking tools suggest that "several hundred thousand" people have unlocked their iPhones in recent weeks.
"The removal of the lock, a bug, was a major step forward in the iPhone development," the group wrote. "It made the iPhone free and useful to anyone, not only to those in certain countries."
The Dev Team claims that iPhone unlocking tools do not cause "damage" as Apple would like some people to believe. Nevertheless, the group said it plans to release a tool in the next week that will enable unlocked iPhone users to restore their phone to a factory-like state. In the meantime it advise users against updating their unlocked iPhone with the upcoming Apple iPhone software update.
"While this announcement may cause some controversy and create headlines, we believe this impacts a small group of users, namely hackers," Wu wrote in a note to clients. "[B]ut we believe for the majority of users, the impact will be minimal, if any."
The analyst said Apple was likely compelled to take a strong stand on iPhone unlocking -- which enable the handsets to run on unauthorized carriers -- for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, he said, the company wants to ensure its mobile phone platform remains stable and secure.
Apple also has a an obligation to meet its contractual obligations with AT&T (and other European wireless carriers), Wu explained. Then, of course, there's also a financial incentive on the part of the iPhone maker to keep users on its authorized carriers, as it receives a portion of the monthly fees from iPhone users signed up with those carriers.
Not surprisingly, representatives from the unofficial iPhone Dev Team -- a group of programmers responsible for one of the most widely distributed iPhone unlocking solutions -- disagrees over the scope of the matter.
In statement released Tuesday, the group said download totals from its own iPhone unlocking tools suggest that "several hundred thousand" people have unlocked their iPhones in recent weeks.
"The removal of the lock, a bug, was a major step forward in the iPhone development," the group wrote. "It made the iPhone free and useful to anyone, not only to those in certain countries."
The Dev Team claims that iPhone unlocking tools do not cause "damage" as Apple would like some people to believe. Nevertheless, the group said it plans to release a tool in the next week that will enable unlocked iPhone users to restore their phone to a factory-like state. In the meantime it advise users against updating their unlocked iPhone with the upcoming Apple iPhone software update.
Comments
How can they KNOW the new features won't break anything until they try? Sounds like they themselves feel there is a chance of something breaking (which of course there is, with or without Apple giving fair warning).
"While this announcement may cause some controversy and create headlines, we believe this impacts a small group of users, namely hackers,"
Wu, Master of the Obvious
At least Apple gave people a warning before the release of the software.
Please update, im buying brick-ed phones at $0.10 each to build a new brick wall.
LOL
Via https://www.wireless.att.com/support...t=KB82027.html
QUESTION:
What is the unlock code for my iPhone?
How do I unlock my iPhone?
What is the subsidy unlock code for my iPhone?
What is the subsidy password for my iPhone?
ANSWER:
iPhone cannot be unlocked, even if you are out of contract. If you are traveling internationally, iPhone is a quad-band phone and will work in many countries across the globe. Stay connected while traveling to over 190 countries, plus get discounted rates in over 80 of those countries when you sign up for AT&T World Traveler
So, if I'm to understand this fully ...
1) Pay 'unsubsidized' $400 for iPhone.
2) Sign 2-year contract.
3) Fulfill contract after 24 months.
4) Look at iPhone which is useless everywhere but AT&T, as phone will not be unlocked by AT&T.
5) Sign another contract.
WTF.
If the phone cannot be unlocked, why the insistence on a 2-year contract. Why not 1-year.
If the phone is locked to AT&T for it's lifetime, what's the point of having a 2-year contract when any subsequent sale of the phone by the original owner will only be to another person who will have to use it on AT&T.
Basically, by purchasing an iPhone you are signing a contract with AT&T for the entire lifetime of the phone.
Thinking out loud, here. Sorry.
I also don't think they care if those unlocked phones no longer function correctly. If you hack your phone its no longer under warranty and no longer apples problem.
Breaking your phone is not considered a "bug".
The reality is the federal gvmt made it legal to create unlocks for phones and what apple and ATT have done is basically make it so we have no choice. Being the owner of 2 iPhones one with att and one with another what apple is doing borders insanity and revolt. think about it if People but the phone which is the bottom line. What should it matter of the carrier. Jobs get a grip
No, that's not what happened. The Registrar of Copyrights said that it would be ok for you to unlock your phone.
There is nothing there about third parties creating software, or other methods to either distribute, or to sell.
Doesn't matter much what you think. A company has the right to refuse to repair their product if it is modified, or used in a way that is outside their specified guidelines. Virtually every product you buy will say something to that effect.
hink about it if People but the phone which is the bottom line. What should it matter of the carrier. Jobs get a grip
It matters to Apple because they reportedly get a percentage of the charges back. If you're buying the phone and then using it on a carrier other than AT&T, Apple doesn't get it's percentage.
Like Safari updates when you're running input manager hacks, just wait a while before upgrading for the developers to issue a new version which works with the Apple's update. What's the big deal?
The iPhone Dev Team also surely can't believe that all of their downloads equates to the same number of unlocked iPhones.
The iPhone Dev Team also surely can't believe that all of their downloads equates to the same number of unlocked iPhones.
They are playing their own little publicity game. We don't even know if they HAVE several hundred thousands downloads.
That would be a large proportion of the total sales of the phone!
The reality is the federal gvmt made it legal to create unlocks for phones and what apple and ATT have done is basically make it so we have no choice. Being the owner of 2 iPhones one with att and one with another what apple is doing borders insanity and revolt. think about it if People but the phone which is the bottom line. What should it matter of the carrier. Jobs get a grip
The reality is that your position needs someone who really knows the laws and the ins and outs of the federal government. You seem to have those abilities. You should lead the revolt. Go get 'em!
...
Representatives for the unofficial iPhone Dev Team, however, disagree.
...
Not surprisingly, representatives from the unofficial iPhone Dev Team -- a group of programmers responsible for one of the most widely distributed iPhone unlocking solutions -- disagrees over the scope of the matter.
Ah, yes. TONS of credibility here. No conflict of interest at all.
These aren't the droids you're looking for...
The reality is the federal gvmt made it legal to create unlocks for phones and what apple and ATT have done is basically make it so we have no choice. Being the owner of 2 iPhones one with att and one with another what apple is doing borders insanity and revolt. think about it if People but the phone which is the bottom line. What should it matter of the carrier. Jobs get a grip
Being legal to unlock is not the same as requiring that a company support unlocking to its own detriment.
The only point most are making is, don't whine when you convert your Prius to a plug-in, and then expect Toyota to honor its warranty.
And who cares? If it takes them 2 months to re-lock for the update, so what?
Do manufacturers have to provide the means of unlocking? Or perhaps the service provider? Or perhaps it only has to be technically unlockable by a highly skilled third party?
Finally, perhaps service providers are only allowed to enforce a contract period of 6 months no matter whether their customer received a free phone.
With how much misinformation I hear about my own country, I don't know what to believe about others...
In statement released Tuesday, the group said download totals from its own iPhone unlocking tools suggest that "several hundred thousand" people have unlocked their iPhones in recent weeks.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
That's a big number representing a large percentage of the iPhones that have been sold to date.
Impossible.