The Great Unlock Race is On...

...or is it?

Does it surprise you at all that both iphonesimfree and iphoneunlocking seem a bit lackadaisical about getting their solutions to market first? You would think it surely has occurred to both of them that the first one out the door with a solution stands to gain the most, right?

I know it takes time to build the infrastructure needed to deliver and control the licensing of the software. Unique phones has been doing this for years though, so you'd think they would have it sorted. I would have expected that they both had figured this out already at the time of their announcements.

I am personally not interested in waiting another week so that they can wrap a GUI around it, if that's what they're waiting for. They can do that later.

Semi related, I read somewhere that Unique Phones has been claiming to have unlocked "thousands" of iPhones for several months now. If it is true that they have been claiming this then they are full of it. As in, not for realz.

Can anyone point to google cache or any other proof that they have been claiming this publicly?

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Originally Posted by goodcompany

Can anyone point to google cache or any other proof that they have been claiming this publicly?

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No.... and I wonder why! Or rather..... I don't!:)

In the video he mention an issue - you can't make international calls (yet he appears to be in the UK according to what he is saying) so it seems you can only call numbers in the US as it is now if I understood it right? Might want to fix that before release..

I don't think that was related to the unlock. Something about his particular plan...

What I think is curious now that I think about it,...unique phones supposedly had this solution ready to go last week when "lawyers" from "places" called and put a stop to it. So we can presume this solution was ready to go, as they said, they just needed to flip a switch.

Why then did we get this crappy camera phone footage of a DOS window running some obscure scripts - so poorly filmed and documented? Why didn't we see any of the software wrapper? It looked so home grown and so not ready for release. Again, not that I would mind a command line tool - just saying it isn't really how UP has offered their products in the past.

If a software release was fully ready it would be out by now in some form. These companies want your money. Even for a partial unlock with added extras later.

My view is that the software unlock is possible, and probably near completion but not close enough to charge for. OR Someone would have been making money off ebay etc for $1000's if they could easily sw unlock a phone. Why not get a bit of cash before its in the wild and it can be gotten illegally?

I am confident a SW unlock is very close, but no proof and no app in the wild means we all have to wait a bit longer.

Personally if I made it I would sell a few on ebay and then release it to the world.

These companies want millions if they can but they know once it's out it will be kracked and pirated. So a deal is needed to make it worthwhile.. if indeed it does exist.

For now I am more than happy with the geo hot method. For me it is so easy and now only takes a few minutes as opposed to hours.

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Originally Posted by Cracker

If a software release was fully ready it would be out by now in some form. These companies want your money. Even for a partial unlock with added extras later.

My view is that the software unlock is possible, and probably near completion but not close enough to charge for. OR Someone would have been making money off ebay etc for $1000's if they could easily sw unlock a phone. Why not get a bit of cash before its in the wild and it can be gotten illegally?

I am confident a SW unlock is very close, but no proof and no app in the wild means we all have to wait a bit longer.

Personally if I made it I would sell a few on ebay and then release it to the world.

These companies want millions if they can but they know once it's out it will be kracked and pirated. So a deal is needed to make it worthwhile.. if indeed it does exist.

For now I am more than happy with the geo hot method. For me it is so easy and now only takes a few minutes as opposed to hours.

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What about the video on iphoneunlocking.com blog showing him doing the software unlock. It seemed credible...

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Originally Posted by hak

What about the video on iphoneunlocking.com blog showing him doing the software unlock. It seemed credible...

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How is it credible ?

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Originally Posted by goodcompany

Semi related, I read somewhere that Unique Phones has been claiming to have unlocked "thousands" of iPhones for several months now. If it is true that they have been claiming this then they are full of it. As in, not for realz.

Can anyone point to google cache or any other proof that they have been claiming this publicly?

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Here's their release on day one!:

Status Update
July 1st, 2007
"Thank you for your interest in iPhoneUnlocking.com

We have had a rather busy day with over 130,000 requests for help unlocking Apple iPhones.

Unfortunately it isn’t all good news, we have some small problems.

The good news is, we are able to generate unlock codes that will allow some functionality on the handset. However, you will not be able to use luxury features e.g. Visual voicemail, no other network supports these features.

The bad news is, we are having a few issues with iTunes. iTunes seems to be kicking up a bit of a fuss when syncing with the handset. This issue is being resolved by applying a small patch to your iTunes software that will prevent it running certain routines when syncing with the handset.

We are beta testing these codes and software with a small percentage(~2%) of users.

We are working as hard and as fast as we can to be able to offer this service to you with a full guarantee.

You should hear from us soon."


So, what's 2% of 130,000? Hmmmm... 260 people? Where are they? ;)
:cool:

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Originally Posted by hak

What about the video on iphoneunlocking.com blog showing him doing the software unlock. It seemed credible...

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From what I've seen, there is only one semi-credible video and that is Engadget's. And I am basing that only on an assumption that Ryan is so conscious of not getting burned again on an iPhone story that he took the time to verify it was an actual application and not a pre-geohacked phone - now that I think about it, it was his phone....or it had his contacts loaded up anyway. So...highly credible in my book.

I think it can be done with software. Obviously it can be, as at&t is going to begin unlocking these for customers at some point - and I don't think they'll bust out a soldering iron there at the counter and ask you to come back in three hours ("oh - and could you get us some red bull while you're out?")

Just curious what's taking so long. If I had to wager money at this point on who will be first between these two rather strange and uncommunicative "companies", it would be iphonesimfree.com

Goodcompany,

It’s interesting what you’ve stated. This said, it’s very hard to speculate regarding the why’s and wherefore’s of iPhoneSimFree and Unique Phone’s delays in releasing the software without first considering the following facts:

From Apple’s point of view, the only Telco that is currently authorised to provide phone service for the iPhone in its present state and form is AT&T. From AT&T’s point of view, their hardware, software and network development efforts, not to mention the extremely unattractive “bend over backwards” financial arrangement with Apple, warrant exclusive rights to all iPhone voice/data services in the US and said rights have been given to them by Apple.

Irrespective of my views regarding this joint venture relationship which I believe are unlawful to begin with, the reality of this all is that two company’s out there have now come forward and stated that they possess a way of putting an end to thus joint venture, by producing software that will allow us all the freedom to use the network operator of their choice. Wow! Imagine. Steve Job’s mentioned that he expects the sale of nearly 10m iPhones by the end of 2008. Of that 10m, probably half of them are expected to be sold in the US. Do the math now. 5m handsets x 60 USD/MRC x 12 [months]? This is what AT&T stands to lose!

Additionally, let’s not forget now that Apple also receives a percentage of the monthly revenue from each and and every AT&T iPhone bill. Think about how much they’re going to lose as well! Sure, Apple will make it back in additional iPhone sales, but do you think that AT&T will not try to attack Apple for this in court for damages? (they would lose though, since Apple is bound by "best effort" protection scenarios and since nothing is crackproof, it's not their fault....)

Like you all, I’d like to unlock my iPhone since AT&T is not present where I live. However, both iPhoneSimFree and UniquePhone’s are very stupid indeed if they begin selling this software as they have planned. They might as well release it for freely, since the moment that it hits the street and is tested by Apple/AT&T and confirmed, knowing both Apple and AT&T, they will not allow this act to go with impunity. It might not happen immediately, but it will happen. Sure, iPhoneSimFree will make a bundle off of their unlock, but will pay a much higher price in the future.

Re: the delays. iPhoneSimFree et al. are not working on a pretty GUI, what they’re working on is a way to protect themselves from court action via Legal counsel. The laws protecting unlocking the iPhone are very iffy and are subject to interpretation. This having been said , and from a legal point of view, the presence of Visual Voicemail on the phone will ensure victory for both Apple/AT&T for reasons beyond the scope of this posting.

Thus, the moral the story is as follows: Bravo to iPhoneSimFree et al. for finding the crack (assuming that they have), but how very stupid of you to try and make money off of it and expect to walk away rich men/women.