Comments on: iPhone hackers say 'relock' on the way

After Apple warned iPhone users yesterday that the next software update could break their phones, the group behind one of the unlocking projects says they'll have a fix next week.

[digitaldelirium]

What's the big surprise?

I mean seriously, all of you fanboy pukes who worship Steve Jobs' toilet paper should not be surprised. Every fanboy continually dogs on Microsoft for being 'Big Brother' when in fact Apple, Inc. Is SO much worse. Remember the Mac clones? I know there were issues with them, but that kind of thing is typical upon first and second rev devices. It didn't last long because Apple wasn't getting their money hand over fist anymore. I mean what better monopoly is there than running software that will ONLY work on YOUR specific hardware. Its about time you idiots wise up and realize that Apple is as much if not more of a bad guy than Microsoft.

[MyRightEye]

Not a typo

Tom, there is no need for (sic) in the above quote. The sentence
reads perfectly ok. It was built in - in ATT's favor. The double in is
not accidental.

[PolicyQuestioner]

(sic) was appropriate

"The removal of those firmware problems, which were built in in favor for AT&T"

should be
"The removal of those firmware problems, which were built in as a favor for AT&T, ..."
or
"The removal of those firmware problems, which were built in in favor of AT&T, ..."

[Mikeatle]

Yeah but...

The first poster mentioned that Apple forces a kind of monopoly on its fans, which is probably true, for the most part. For me, however, the issue is simple. Apple computers and products work. I don't have problems with the operating system the way my Windows friends do. In the long run, I'd rather put up with Steve Jobs' ego and have an excellent computer.

[bgrmystr]

Apple/Microsoft

Apple can create very stable systems because their software is designed to work ONLY on their hardware. Microsoft's OS has to work on nearly anyone's hardware. That is a major philosophy and programming difference which most computer novices do not understand and which Mac-addicts simply ignore.

[Solaris_User]

Against the law for apple to void warranty.

Apple cannot void a warranty for a product with third-party enhancements or modifications to their product unless they can prove that enhancement has damaged their device.

Hack away.

[ResinNation]

IF The Warranty Was Active

And... it's not.
Read the iPhone warranty terms and conditions. The fact is, you
have no warranty on your iPhone UNTIL you have activated it
with AT&T. No active AT&T iPhone = no active warranty from
Apple (which is 100 % legal.)
In addition, the warranty terms, which you also automatically
accept by activating your iPhone (read the warranty) that if you
violate the terms and conditions of the warranty (ie: if you
unlock it either using software or hardware hacks,) you void the
warranty.
It's all legal as long as they tell you about it up front, people,
and it's YOUR responsibility as a consumer to read these things,
NOT Apple's, nor any other company.
So hack away. But when it dies... it's your fault, and your bill.
-Posted by a HAPPY iPhone user

[dotmike]

Info for Shaw Wu to ponder

Maybe the numbers are small, maybe not.

It's hard to say how many people have Installer.app running, but
an article by a programmer who has been experimenting with
the rapidly evolving 3rd party iPhone app development
suggested the numbers were actually very large.
http://iphone.tuaw.com/2007/09/18/iphone-how-many-
hackers/

(And memebers of this community are the ones that would know
this, as they can measure downloads.)

If the update breaks Installer.app and other jailbreaking reliant
apps, then a lot of people will be inclined to stay on the earlier
firmware 1.0.2, *and* become extremely angry at Apple for
being denied Safari bug fixes, interface tweaks, etc.

(I agree Apple certainly shouldn't devote resources to supporting
3rd party apps, but taking hostile action is another matter:
that's actually devoting resources to counter the hacks, not just
ignoring them.)

As for the SIM unlock specifically, those numbers are harder to
know. But consider this:

In the official figures released for the days of the last quarter
when the iPhone went on sale, Apple reported many more sales
than AT&T did activations.

270,000 vs 146,000.

Now, some of these could be explained by people waiting until
the following week to use their iPhone (though seriously, if you'd
just queued to buy it, would you have the patience to wait?)
Others, by glitches in the AT&T activation system forcing a wait
(though I don't think the majority of these lasted longer than 12
hours).

But many were probably also bought up by Ebay sellers. A large
number of Ebay sales are to international buyers. Just do an
Ebay search and check the feedback of big sellers to see this.

And I know that some overseas residents were at an Apple Store
on June 29. How do I know? I was one of them!

(If you go to the techy parts of cities in Europe and Asia, you'll
actually see quite a few iPhones...)

More recently, when Apple officially announced they'd reached
the 1 million mark, the whisper was that AT&T had achieved
600,000 activations.

1,000,000 vs 600,000.

Do the math.

[J.G.]

You call that math?

What you offer is a bunch of completely unreliable suppositions. Apple and AT&T know how many iPhones have been sold and how many have been activated, as well as the serial numbers of phones that do not turn up on authorized networks. They are working from actual data. Furthermore, Tmobile and other service providers may even report back iPhone traffic on their networks as part of their contractual responsibilities. (That's one advantage of Apple contracting with different service providers in different countries.) Meanwhile, all you 'free' iPhone people have on your side is more money than sense. All you can possibly do is lose.

[J.G.]

iPhone Dev group a whiny lot

These people make the freetards look unemotional. They certainly know what they are doing is not authorized, or they would not be anonymous. Surely, a lawyer or two has explained to them that keeping the iPhone tethered to an authorized service provider is part of the consideration Apple contracted away. So, why don't the Devies keep a stiff upper lip instead of flooding their hankies?

To fellow iPhone users: If you hack the phone that is your responsibility. If you are not willing to accept the consequences, including loss of warranty and possibly bricking the device, then don't do it. The sim unlock is particularly iffy, so unless you want to live on the bleeding edge forget about it.

[WJeansonne]

You own the hardware, but not the software dummies

There is nothing worse than unethical hackers. They are basically dishonest people looking for free ride or something for free. Oh yeah, who does that remind me of? The FREE OPEN SOURCE crowd!

[Cwadsgo]

you are wrong

you need to do your research, there have been some recent rulings , if you purchase the soft ware
you own it...you must work for apple or at&t

[RicRoe]

Microsoft is Salivating

Apples announcement that the upcoming patch would render hacked iPhones useless must have the boys at Microsoft flooding their offices as they salivate over the outcome.

Microsoft is well known for their DRM issues with the release of their latest Vista version of windows. DRM is the validation process that Vista uses to talk to the mothership at Microsoft in order to verify it is a real product and not a pirated copy.

Microsost can "reduce functionality" on any Vista system that calls home and is alleged to be invalid, rendering the allegedly pirated version inoperable.

Imagine how Microsoft is anticipating the things they can do if Apple is unchallenged over its patch to break hacked iPhones.

Now the so called 'hacked' iPhone is accomplished with a piece of software, much like adding a program to your windows computer.

The big heads at Microsoft are now dreaming of walking throught the door that Apple is going to open for them.

Microsoft can't wait to be able to reduce your functionality because you installed an offending program, let's say Open Office.

As Apple tries to one up Microsoft in the area of controlling what and how owners of their products are able to use their products, an attorney somewhere can't wait till this patch is released so they can file a lawsuit to protect the rights of Iphone buyers.

Once again, Apple takes the lead, and Microsoft will soon follow.

[mpzarde]

Why someone may want an unlocked iPhone

Because AT&T is not available in Canada, because Rogers and
Apple appear to be at least a year away from an agreement,
because Rogers say they may charge more than Apples retail
price, and because Rogers data plan is 100% certified pure BS.

Since the touch doesn't have bluetooth it can't be used with an
existing Rogers phone for auto-dial or anything.

So if someone lives in Canada and wants the best integrated
device which holds a calendar, address book, other apps, and is
also a phone a Canuck can either buy HTC (IMO crap) or a
Blackberry (more crap IMO) or chance it with an unlocked iPhone
which actually looks fairly attractive (feature and price) if it
works.

As it stands neither Apple nor AT&T lose any revenue if a
Canuck (or any other person in a country without a supported
carrier) buys an unlocked iPhone.

If the phone is a loss leader and the profits come from the actual
carrier revenues, sorry Apple, can't help you.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Downloads vs. installs

Remember, Tom:

Every copy of Linux or Firefox ever downloaded is in use right
this minute.

How could iPod hacks be any different?

You watch. At some point the number of downloads of iPod
hacks will exceed the number of iPods that Apple admits to
having made.

The hackers will then announce that Apple is lying about that
number, and you'll get a bunch of idiots here agreeing with
them.

Still, it's fun to watch.

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