Apple and Cingular - Ensured that iPhone can't be unlocked?

[headcronie]

Just reading some off site news, and read that Apple and Cingular (maybe just Apple) went to a lot of work, to ensure that the iPhone can't be unlocked.

Doesn't this run straight into a law that was just passed earlier this year, mandating that you have the right to unlock your phone?

Here's the article in question: http://www.canada.com/topics/technol...f180ae&k=68731

[Genjinaro]

I don't care how cool the phone is, you can't sell me off my contract.
Bad Apple, very bad...
What were they thinking?

Dammit to F***!

I guess my i-modded X51v will just have to do...
*BTW I have 12GB & Skype *

[Adama D. Brown]

Doesn't this run straight into a law that was just passed earlier this year, mandating that you have the right to unlock your phone?

Sort of. It's wasn't a law that was passed, exactly, but rather the copyright office issued a ruling which said carriers weren't allowed to outlaw phone unlocking on the grounds of copyright. Anyway, to answer your question, yes, in theory you're supposed to be able to unlock your phone. In practice, however, there's no real consequences for the carrier if they do everything they can to prevent you from doing that. Some carriers will give unlock codes for their phones, particularly if you're going overseas, but I'd suspect Cingular thinks of keeping their exclusive as being much more important than annoying travellers.

[RobbM]

My understanding is that its currently not a software lock, but a hardware lock. Like trusted computing.

I think if you buy your phone, say direct from Nokia, you should have the right to use it on any carrier. Likewise, if you order your iPhone from Apple, you should have the right to use it on any carrier, understanding that the phone, especially the v-mail, won't work right.

And there's the point, right there: Cingular/ATT overhauled their v-mail system specifically for the iPhone and the Cingular/ATT network is now (or will be) designed to work with the iPhone. If the phone doesn't work and you're on ATT and you call Apple or ATT, they should be able to solve the problem. If you're using the iPhone on another carrier and it doesn't work the way you expect, Apple will be inundated with calls about how their phone doesn't work and they will have to tell you that its your carrier. The carrier will tell you you shouldn't be using the iPhone. Etc, etc.

This is like back in the 80s with Power Computing, Umax, etc: Apple was getting calls left and right about problems, but the problems weren't (usually) the MacOS, but the substandard computers it was trying to run on.

Sure, it ain't a perfect system, but right out of the gate, Apple (and ATT) want a product that'll rock utterly.

[holvoetn]

I understand for Cingular in US, but what with launches in the rest of the world ?
What if some countries do not allowed to sell locked phones.

Will Apple just remove those from their target market population ?

[Curious Cat]

I understand for Cingular in US, but what with launches in the rest of the world ?
What if some countries do not allowed to sell locked phones.

Will Apple just remove those from their target market population ?

Didn't they just go through this with their iTunes in France?

[glorfindeal]

I understand for Cingular in US, but what with launches in the rest of the world ?
What if some countries do not allowed to sell locked phones.

Will Apple just remove those from their target market population ?

The phone is not locked due to Apple, but Cingular, so in Europe, depending on the partners will determine if the phone is locked or not.

Glor

[berylrb]

...And there's the point, right there: Cingular/ATT overhauled their v-mail system specifically for the iPhone and the Cingular/ATT network is now (or will be) designed to work with the iPhone. If the phone doesn't work and you're on ATT and you call Apple or ATT, they should be able to solve the problem. If you're using the iPhone on another carrier and it doesn't work the way you expect, Apple will be inundated with calls about how their phone doesn't work and they will have to tell you that its your carrier. The carrier will tell you you shouldn't be using the iPhone. Etc, etc.

This is like back in the 80s with Power Computing, Umax, etc: Apple was getting calls left and right about problems, but the problems weren't (usually) the MacOS, but the substandard computers it was trying to run on.

Sure, it ain't a perfect system, but right out of the gate, Apple (and ATT) want a product that'll rock utterly.

I have to agree with RobbM on this point. As geeks or geekier then the general population (as exhibited by our obsession with BH forums ) I don't think we fully appreciate what Apple/ATT is doign for that world out there that isn't going to go to BH for trouble shooting, 10's of millions of iPod users may jump ship dumping their 1-4 generation iPods for the iPhone experience. This isn't just another big brother of Job's control thing, this is the teeth behind why Apple can say "It just works!" They have the tenacity to put controls in place to keep it working. For instance, I have bought a new mac about every two years, I now have 5 used daily, and 2 used by my church youth every Sunday, and one broken one that would be used but it broke a Power Mac 4400 w/DOS card, mother board issue. I've never had repairs for any of these save the latter all have some modification from original. "It Just Works!" Same with our two iPods (gen. 3 & 5).

Didn't they just go through this with their iTunes in France?

Yep, I tried to keep up with that. However, that was an issue about the iPod not being open for other formats, eh? As opposed to a Cingular block.

[RobbM]

I understand for Cingular in US, but what with launches in the rest of the world ?
What if some countries do not allowed to sell locked phones.

Will Apple just remove those from their target market population ?

I saw somewhere that Roberts (right? NO! ROGERS.) might (and that's a big might) carry it in Canada.

If the ATT cell network is worldwide, one would think that the changes could be made network-wide. That is to say, globally. I don't have a lot of foreign experience since getting a cell phone, so I don't know much about this though.