Apple may release an Unlock for iPhone?

The recent update is a a very bold statement from IPSF.

If they come through with the goods - I think we will all be bowled over.

If they fail to deliver a product that is 'immune' from future updates, then it will be a failure.

HAVING SAID THAT....I personally believe that Apple will shine through on this and release an unlock option in conjunction with AT&T. This is the only way forward.

In the same way as BootCamp was released - Apple will release the option (for a fee of course).

As the potential earnings of an unlock could offset the loss by AT&T, or at least soften the blow, they have no alternative.

For a breakthrough device such as the iPhone, do you really think Apple would want a bunch of hackers taking market share ?

Consider everything to date as beta testing. Boith in terms of technology and customer feedback.

The unlock is overdue - Apple will step in to prevent its name being dragged through the mud. And if AT&T dont like it ? Apple will sign a new contract with someone else.

Dont flame me ! But instead consider the bigger picture.

Well I disagree -

"do you think apple would want a bunch of hackers taking market share"

By "hackers taking market share" did you mean to say hackers boosting market share by opening the iphone up to new [grey] markets once its unlocked? Think "bigger picture", # of countries w/ GSM networks that wont have Service Providers selling iPhones anytime soon..

"And if AT&T dont like it ? Apple will sign a new contract with someone else."

Not even close. AT&T would sue the heck out of Apple and likely get an injunction against Apple shipping to any other US provider. Reminder, Apple entered a 5-year exclusivity contract w/ AT&T..

You have to understand one thing about the American market... NO ONE knows what GSM, a SIM card, or an unlocked phone is. Sure there are some, but we amount to a very marginal percentage of the cellular using populous as a whole. Even if you look at these forums a very large percentage of the people on here looking for the unlock are from non-US nations (yourself included).

AT&T has a ridiculous 5... FIVE... year long contract and they are not a very customer friendly company. They could care less if we moan and complain. The way they see it, you want it, you gotta go through them, and that's just the way it'll stay.

Time to change the Bongwater.......:D

It will never happen...sorry got to go, my unlocked Iphone is ringing

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Originally Posted by makkystyle

You have to understand one thing about the American market... NO ONE knows what GSM, a SIM card, or an unlocked phone is. Sure there are some, but we amount to a very marginal percentage of the cellular using populous as a whole. Even if you look at these forums a very large percentage of the people on here looking for the unlock are from non-US nations (yourself included).

AT&T has a ridiculous 5... FIVE... year long contract and they are not a very customer friendly company. They could care less if we moan and complain. The way they see it, you want it, you gotta go through them, and that's just the way it'll stay.

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Yeah, I agree, there's no way Apple is going to break that contract and go through the legal headache.

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Originally Posted by Lardnapkin

Time to change the Bongwater.......:D

It will never happen...sorry got to go, my unlocked Iphone is ringing

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agreed. apple will never ever release an unlock when they have a contract with AT&T. business is business. they could care less.

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Originally Posted by josh256

Well I disagree -

"do you think apple would want a bunch of hackers taking market share"

By "hackers taking market share" did you mean to say hackers boosting market share by opening the iphone up to new [grey] markets once its unlocked? Think "bigger picture", # of countries w/ GSM networks that wont have Service Providers selling iPhones anytime soon..

"And if AT&T dont like it ? Apple will sign a new contract with someone else."

Not even close. AT&T would sue the heck out of Apple and likely get an injunction against Apple shipping to any other US provider. Reminder, Apple entered a 5-year exclusivity contract w/ AT&T..

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So if Apple can sell 2 million more units worldwide in an afternoon - you dont think they would optimise that potential ? Wake up guys !! We are talking serious amounts of money here ! And smalltime boys like IPSF will be 'allowed' to take Apples share of the pie ?

Anyway the iPhone will HAVE to be unlockable when it hits Europe this year - IT THE LAW. So they are only delaying the inevitable.

Remember that last sentence - its THE LAW in the EU for phones to be unlocked by the operator if the customer wants (for a fee).

why are there so many god damn stupid people on this ONE particular forum?

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Originally Posted by Sebastian25

why are there so many god damn stupid people on this ONE particular forum?

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Well at least add something rather than just a statement that means nothing.

This is a FORUM - a place where we discuss this shit ! We love it ! We love to get different opinions and sometimes we like to insult each other ! But most of the time we are friends !!!

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Originally Posted by syntrak

Well at least add something rather than just a statement that means nothing.

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i agree, if you aren't going to add any information then just STFU.