Source: http://www.macworld.co.uk/ipod-itune...m?newsid=19123

Another issue raised in questions was that various hacks have emerged that have made it possible to use the iPhone without being on the approved network. When asked what his company was doing to stop this situation, Jobs responded: "It’s a cat and mouse game. We play it on iPods with DRM. We try to stay ahead. I’m not sure if we are the cat of the mouse. People will try to break in and it’s our job to stop them breaking in."

well all know that firmware updates will lock our phones.. time will tell who's itchy and who's scratchy

But then what else could he say... having just signed an exclusive deal with O2!

Let's face it, a minority of unlocked phones are not going to hurt Apple's handset sales!!

I agree, we're the minority by a long ways. It will only continue to be the case what with the launch of the iPhone in Europe & other countries/continents.

Originally Posted by graeme0

But then what else could he say... having just signed an exclusive deal with O2!

Let's face it, a minority of unlocked phones are not going to hurt Apple's handset sales!!

Very true !

Also very disappointing to see the 'same old, same old' re EDGE and lack of 3G etc.

I wonder if the UK model will support SMS forwarding, MMS etc etc ??

Jobs mentioned that they didnt want to open the phone for 3rd party apps due to viruses.

Err..I thought it ran OS X - last count there were a handful of viruses for OS X...so wheres the problem ?

We try to stay ahead

well, the difference is that in this case, the "bad guys" are already inside the device with almost total control

worst case scenario IMO, we'll have to skip all future baseband updates ... big deal

I have sneaky suspicion that SMS forwarding, MMS, Cut & Paste etc... will be supported/added in the next 1.1.1 firmware update, or at least I hope so. Would make sense seeing as the Euro iPhone will be running 1.1.1 and that MMS is much more widely used in Europe (thefore pretty much a requirement) and the other niggles are just silly omissions that Apple, I think, just forgot to include in ealier revisions.

I cant see apple relocking sim free phones. For 3 reasons.

1. While they comment on hackers, cracking firmware etc..., they didnt mention 1000's of sim free iphones in Apples customers hands and the bad customer relations / PR that relocking the phone would bring.

2. The legallity. Especially in America where a class action can grow very quickly. I cant remember another phone provider or network relocking a phone. Especially given our legal rights allow us to have unlocked phones.

3. The contracts / terms & conditions seem to me to be on the close to illegal side. Monopolistic is some ways, going against regional laws on sim free phones, AT&T will unlock any other phone, just not the iPhone. The fact the phone isnt network subsidised but still network locked could raise legal questions.

If they do relock the phone and continue to after the uk launch for new customers / updated firmware I might make a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading and OffCom or whoever this falls under.

I got an N91 and after 2 months 02 unlocked it, I rang up and told them I was selling it and they unlocked it no problem. As the law demands.

?? Apple has exclusive contracts in place in the USA (AT&T) and with their new UK release (02). Unfair competition would only apply if they released a unlocked version of the iPhone to either countries competitors, surely??

So im not given a choice of which mobile provider I can go with, even though Im paying retail price for the phone.