“Apple dislikes seeing its craved iPhone freed from AT&T’s tight grip and has issued a warning towards all customers that future firmware updates crafted at Cupertino might render the unlocked iPhones useless,” Max Brenn writes for eFluxMedia.
“‘Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones,’ the company wrote in a statement to the press. ‘Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty.’ Apple added that the ‘permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone’s warranty,'” Brenn writes.
“It’s not a surprise the fact that Apple decided to set things straight,” Brenn writes. “I have never doubted about the fact that Apple would eventually reinstall AT&T on its “multi-year exclusivity” throne and in the end, this is what it’s all about: Steve Jobs signed a contract with AT&T and has to follow its terms. Are you naive enough to think that in at least two years of development Apple and AT&T didn’t think that someone might try unlocking the iPhone to use it with another network?”
Brenn writes, “Apple’s business is apparently based on sharing the revenues carriers reap from selling the iPhone along with long time subscriptions… It’s important for Apple’s future partners (including the European ones announced last week, O2 in the UK and T-mobile in Germany) to know that they will enjoy the same exclusivity as AT&T.”
Full article here.
Users who have modified their iPhones’ software should attempt to “relock” their iPhones to original condition before installing Apple-supplied iPhone software updates or risk bricking their iPhones and/or voiding their warranties. Hacks are never supported by manufacturers. Solder iron-wielding iPhone hardware modders are, as always, completely on their own.
Apple is locked in a situation against its own practice. There is nothing that would stop anyone from unlocking the iPhone and there will be ways to go back to the original state of the iPhone. Unlock, use, and enjoy.
You mean to tell me that if I upgrade my iPhone’s processor to a G5 to keep my hands toasty warm the warranty will be voided?
Bastards!!!
BUT . . . don’t come crying to the company when something gets broken permanently. That’s only right and fair.
If you don’t want to get locked into a serice contract, don’t buy an iPhone.
Get the iPod Touch, and a regular cell phone with another carrier.
Problem solved.
Sounds like Apple is just trying to cover their bases. Can you imagine the outcry from the vocal minority if Apple didn’t warn anyone and their next update just bricked a bunch of phones? Unfortunatley it sounds like doing a Restore will not get your phone back to factory conditions. Whatever it is that these unlocking programs do seems to go a bit further down into the system.
MDN, it’s not as easy as that for those who unlocked their iPhones. They will need to reflash the modem chip and then do the full restore to have a completely “virgin” iPhone.
I will not buy an iPhone until the AT&T;lock in becomes history and the iPhone is open. Unless that happens, I will never buy one.
What I really resent is that I cannot even use Skype over a WiFi connection without greasing AT&T;’s greedy palms.
I find it amusing how everyone flames Apple for not supporting or allowing hacks on their device. The product is sold as is and supported by Apple as long as it is used as Apple intended. The iPhone has been out for almost 3 months in that time we discovered what we love about it and where the iPhone is lacking.
The problem is that most people want version 2, 3 or 4 now and are upset that the iPhone is not up to “their” standards. If you have all these great ideas apply for a job with Apple and make it happen!
I am sure there will be no stop to the crying about the iPhones lack of 3G, GPRS, TiVo, and the lack of the ability to run full Adobe Applications like Photoshop (You laugh but some guy in the Apple store actually bitched about not being able to run Photoshop on the iPhone) he said it was false advertisement to say the iPhone ran Tiger and can’t run Photoshop) I just laughed but he was dead serious!
So go ahead and mod your iPhone and try not to cry to hard if they get iBricked… or become iPaperweight
Love my new iPhone and have had good service from A,T&T;.
Now if someone would just make some earbuds that sound great AND have the built in switch….
If youre crazy enough to try unlocking your iphone then its your own fault!
Dont come crying to Apple when your iphone is fscked.
And no, this isnt Apple playing hardball, its standard business from manufacturers whenever you buy any consumer product from a toaster to a car.
Invalidate your warranty at YOUR OWN RISK!
Reply to Beryllium’s comment:
“What I really resent is that I cannot even use Skype over a WiFi connection without greasing AT&T;’s greedy palms.”
This is exactly what I am talking about! Why would you think AT&T;or Apple who gets revenue from usage allow Skype on the iPhone? It’s a mobile phone that would completely defeat the purpose of having a mobile phone to allow Skype or another telephone service on the iPhone.
It’s silly to think that either company would allow that.
I took a moment and read several of Max Breen’s articles. THe guy came across as a Butt head, IMHO.
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“Apple should do things my way, or they are stupid. “
“Apple’s terrible price drop fieasco.”
Etc
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I’m concerned that if you don’t have an AT&T;SIM card in them, you won’t get support, and they might put a black mark on your account– mark it as unwarranted — at least until they see an AT&T;SIM card.
I am sure that Apple and at&t;agreed on stop gaps to keep their five year contract in effect. Which explains the treat of ‘iBricking” the iphone if it has been hacked by software or hardware.
I don’t understand why people think if they damage their iPhone or replace the software with hacks that Apple will still warranty it? Also trying to put on competitive products like Skype on the device. Thats like borrowing your neigbhors cable hook up instead of paying your own way, aka theft.
Glossy screens
Cheap LCD\’s
Pay it again for iPod games
Pay it again for ringtones for music you already own
Apple crashing the iPhone unlock party
iTunes \”calling home\” whenever Frontrow is activated
New iMac has less graphic performance that previous version
Slowly sliding EFI snitching DRM & Trusted Computing under our noses.
Insecure operating system that had more bug fixes than Windows last year.
Insecure iPhone, Safari and Quicktime.
INTEL PROCESSORS!!! BOOT CAMP!!!
Welcome to the \”Evil Empire\” dear Apple
I’m with TowerTone.
I know for a fact that they will put a mark in your account if your have hacked your iPhone or have another carriers sim card in your iPhone if you take it to the Apple Store.
The guy infront of me at the Genuis bar had a phone that would not restart and he had it all hacked up he even said so, the tech was able to get it restored and told him that he has noted the guys account. He did say that Apple has not takend a stance yet on what to do in such situations but the account was noted.
So I guess that was a scare tactic but once they log into your acount they can easily mark your account and the next time your come in your SOL!
My advice if your ‘have to hack your iPhone” restore it first if at all possible. I you also may want to download the earlier version of itunes if you have to go back to 1.0.2. Once you update your itunes your stuck with the new version unless you can re-install in older version thats compatible with the iPhone.
Hacks have never been authorized by any business, Apple, HP, Dell, IBM, whoever. The iPhone was locked for a reason and nobody twisted your arm to buy one if you didn’t like the carrier AT&T;. Apple is defending its product for the future to make it better with future software updates. People who have hacked there phones knew the full risk when they did that and now if the next update bricks there phone. Well that is just to bad now isn’t it. It’s like modding your cars engine to get 800 HP out of a 4 cylinder. If it blows up do you thing the manufacturer is going to cover it under warranty? Get real people!
Apple should have no interest in stopping the hacks, because they sell more phones not stopping the hacks. Sounds to me they are getting flack from AT&T;for not having said anything to the hackers up until this point.
Tower Tone: me three! My experience with AT&T;has been stellar, and my phone is still awesome. I still have people that say, “Ooo! iPhone!” and I have to give them the tour.
If someone unlocked/cracked/modded their iPhone, and a software update bricks it, they’d have to be pretty danged ignorant to fault Apple. Why this would be a surprise to anyone is beyond me. Of course, it is within your rights as a consumer to do what you want with that piece of hardware, just don’t expect Apple to fix it when you break it.
MW: Unlock your iPhone only with the FULL knowledge that its warranty is voided.
I’m with TT.. #4 I guess.
I was wary of ATT because of a previous bad round of service.
This time around they have been great. Great service, no dropped calls where Verizon was, it’s been a snap.
To Beans:
Apple needs to stop the hacks. Look at George’s comment above: some guy hacked up his iPhone and took up time at the Genius bar because his hacked iPhone wouldn’t start. So if Apple allows (or encourages) hacks, how many warranty claims would Apple be facing? Now how much bad press would Apple be getting from these same people who get angry because the iPhone they hacked won’t start, or the touch screen no longer responds, or they can’t watch HD movies on it, etc.
Apple stated from the start that the iPhone wouldn’t even allow third party apps because Apple was concerned about the effect third party software would have on the iPhone’s OS. Well, now we have hackers getting into the system’s core, mucking things up, and crying foul because Apple won’t warranty their crappy work.
M@c and Beryllium said it well: if the iPhone doesn’t do what you want it to do without a hack, then buy an iPod touch and a separate mobile phone with your carrier of choice. Then you don’t have to bitch about the iPhone’s calling plans, either.
Exactly why is the majority not at all upset by this? Now, physically modifying your iPhone and breaking the warranty is perfectly acceptable. I wouldn’t expect ANY manufacturer to support a product that has been physically modified in any appreciable way. But modifying software, and then not being able to just reset it back? Is Apple doing something to block any attempts to reset an iPhone back to “stock” software? If they are, that doesn’t sit well with me. Hell, even the hated DMCA has an exception for hacking phones to work on other networks than what the phone was originally on.
I sure hope this is just Apple making threats- I would be very disappointed if they actually go out of their way to block attempts by customers to reset their iPhones back to a factory stock software condition.
I can hack the software on a Mac to my heart’s content, and if something doesn’t work, I sure don’t expect Apple to help me resolve it. But I also don’t expect them to block me from wiping the drive and reinstalling the original OS.
Hey, my basketball team has decided to use a football instead of a basketball…makes life interesting…especially dribbling.
Alter your iPhone and the contract…pay the price. Even with AT&T;, the iPhone is still the best thing out there.
God, this guy can’t even WRITE properly.
“It’s not a surprise the fact that Apple decided to set things straight . . . “
WRONG! How about:
“The fact that Apple decided to set things straight is not a surprise . . . “
And this one:
“I have never doubted about the fact that Apple would eventually . . . “
WRONG!!! Try:
“I have never doubted that Apple would eventually . . . “
Behold Max Breen: Another example of our failed public education system.