Apple Officially Warns Against iPhone Unlocking
Mon Sep 24, 2007 5:59PM EDT
See Comments (13)
Today Apple issued its first official warning against iPhone hacks and unlocking tools, threatening owners that upcoming upgrades to the phone's operating system would cause a hacked iPhone to "irreparably" stop working while voiding your warranty.
Apple iPhone hacking software designed to unlock the device and make it usable on any GSM network (not just AT&T) has been spreading like mad over the last few weeks, with step-by-step tutorials being widely posted across the web. As iPhone prepares to enter Europe, where GSM networks are far more pervasive than in the US, the company has a lot to lose if angry telecom companies balk at Apple's terms. Analysts are already skeptical that the non-3G iPhone will be a hit on the heavily-3G continent.
As the carrot portion of its warning, Apple is noting that the new, highly-anticipated, wireless version of iTunes may not work if you hack your phone. The update should arrive before the end of the week. Don't be surprised if it comes along with plenty of new security features that prevent current iPhone unlocking tricks from working.
Here's the full text of Apple's terse notice:
Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone's software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone's warranty.
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2 Posted by basurto_ric on Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:06PM EDT Report Abuse
man i hate hackers!! they drive me mad just hearing about them hacking!!!!!! its wasting money and wasting the apple co.'s money!!! we need to stop hacking!!! plz!!!!! do for the iphone!!!
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3 Posted by regord_paladin on Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:03PM EDT Report Abuse
Hacking is a form of self expresion. If you don't like it, fine. But don't bite other people's head off because they don't want to switch to AT&T.
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4 Posted by rogueist on Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:40AM EDT Report Abuse
My general thoughts are that Apple is going to make a HUGE mistake when this update comes out and they are going to unintentionally brick thousands of legitimately used iPhones. I give the the community about 2 days to come up with a method to safely recover and restore an iPhone so that you can install the updates to it, and about 2 weeks after that to break the new update and make everything work again. Of course what will also happen is that there will be a class action lawsuit AGAINST Apple because they are going to brick legally unlocked iPhones - and this will probably also force through the new Cell Phone Users Rights bill in Congress as well, which will make all phone locking illegal, irregardless of circumstances.
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5 Posted by stonerosedesigndotcom on Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:39PM EDT Report Abuse
Hacking is a form of self expresion. If you don't like it, fine. By the crazy logic everything and anything is ok...I'm not stealing I'm "redistributing wealth"...self expression. Apple expressed itself first...they made the item, they made the terms of using it. When you buy it you accept those terms. If you don't want it yo don't have to buy it but it's clearly bad faith to say Apple can't "express" itself however it wants but you can. So I hope the law expresses itself as well because most people express the desire to put thieves in jail. But don't bite other people's head off because they don't want to switch to AT&T. Why. It's Apple's phone. Don't bite their head off because they made an agreement. It's their house and you have no right to break in a rearrange it however you like.
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1 Posted by cuplacaiazzas on Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:12PM EDT Report Abuse
As a consumer, this is the kind of stuff I HATE! Is apple lying, or will my $500 cell phone simply stop functioning later this week? Will more unlocking tools come out that will let me install the update for phones that crash? Its a crap shoot. In the past, have these kind of threats been carried out? Thoughts?