iPhone Is Getting Locked Again

Apple announced plans to release a required software update that would render any unlocked phone inoperable. Here's what probably happened. AT&T started crying about people unlocking the phone to use on other networks and could see their exclusive contract in crisis. They ran to Apple and said they had better do something about this fast. The firmware update was the solution and this is what Apple had to say.

"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."

For those of you with an unlocked iPhone, there may be no hope. But wait, maybe there is. Erica Sadun on The Unofficial Apple Weblog has a the solution in a post called re-lock your phone.

I guess I don't blame AT&T . I would expect the same thing if I had planned on every iPhone user subscribing to my wireless service. After all, they do have Wall Street accountability to deal with.

 

How To Unlock the iPhone.

Leave it up to an industrious 17 year old kid. You knew that it was only matter of time right?

I actually had a chance to play with an iPhone the other day. They are a very nice piece of equipment. The GUI is very good and with the WIFI, you don't need to rely on the AT&T network. However, for the money, I am still going to stick with my Motorola Q.

 

Problems with the iPhone Battery?

Why does the iPhone bashing continue? I don't know but here is the latest. The battery.

Not only can you not replace the battery yourself, it is estimated that it should last about a year or roughly 300 charges. This isn't sounding good. I know some people that have to charge once a day or more because they are on their phone all the time.

SO, after spending $600.00 on the darn thing, half way through your contract with AT&T , you will have to send your iPhone to apple to have THEM replace your battery. This will cost $79 for the battery + $6.95 for shipping. AND for those people that can't go without a phone for 3-5 days, they will rent you a phone for $29.

Good planning or poor planning on the part of Apple? I say this is a well crafted and planned obsolescence move to gain some residual dollars on the back end.

In releasing quarterly earnings last month, Apple said it expected to sell a million iPhones by the end of the current quarter, and 10 million within the first 12 months.

Maybe you don't always "get what you pay for."

 

Problems with the iPhone?

According to numerous accounts, Apple's new iPhone is rather problematic to activate and has many shortcomings despite the hype. Survey results on Thomas Hawk's Digital Connection blog report that only about 50% of iPhone users were able to activate their new iPhone with little or no problems. In his post, Thomas Hawk recounts his own horrible experience in trying to activate his own phone.

Apparently you buy the phone at your local AT&T store, take it home and with your iTunes account (with the appropriate updates) you go through an activation process. This is where the good times end and the buyer's remorse begins. Granted this information is about a month old but a quick search shows that people are still having activation issues. But someone has to love it, right?

An article published today in Information Week says that NASA has nixed the new iPhone in favor of the BlackBerry 8800. Reasons including "...lack of support from major device management and mobile security software suites, lack of removable batteries, and Apple's exclusive contract with network provider AT&T." The space agency deemed the iPhone as "not to be enterprise ready." OK, So NASA doesn't like it either.

Being an EXTREMELY satisfied owner of the Motorola Q, I am a little biased. The iPhone costs more, has little more to offer and AT&T has inferior coverage compared to Verizon's Network. Granted the Motorola Q doesn't have the fancy GUI that the iPhone does, but it definitely gets the job done. It is my understanding that a Q with a memory card, can do anything that the iPhone will do...for less money. Some of you are going to say, "what about WIFI?" OK fine! So the iPhone has WIFI, Verizon has the EVDO in most major cities and it works fast.

So what's the point? There are just as many articles about iPhone Problems as there are about Satisfied iPhone owners. Just do your research before you dive into iPhone mania like a friend of mine did.

Your thoughts?


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iPhone Keeps You Captive?

A recent decision from the U.S. Register of Copyrights says that consumer have the right to unlock their cell phones and go to the provider of their choice. Effective on Nov. 27th of 2006, the new regulations will be in force for a 3 year time frame, at which the terms of the decision will be re-evaluated. There are a LOT of cell industry insiders that are screaming foul over this but they have abide by the new ruling.

So here's the rub. The new iPhone has the technology to work on just about every network worldwide, BUT Apple has configured the phone so it will only work on AT&T. Even if you don't want AT&T and you switch out your SIM card, it still won't work on any other network. Hmmmm...this seems to be in violation of the open phone ruling. With 3 million iPhones released, and everyone having to sign an expensive 2 year contract with AT&T, it's looking like the new iPhone is going to have its prisoners for quite some time.

What about the big buzz word of today: Net Neutrality. This doesn't seem very conducive to choice does it?

 

The Apple iPhone

I just read on MacWorld that the new Apple iPhone is NOT going to be open to 3rd party software applications. However, Jason Miller from WebProNews, says that the new iPhone will be web 2.0 ready and capable of running third-party applications by the time it ships at the end of the month. Apparently Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, reversed a previous decision to lock developers out of the iPhone.

An interesting tid-bit about the iPhone is that you need to have an iTunes account to setup the phone. What if you don't want an iTunes account? I guess your out of luck with a resounding, "No soup for you."

Not having seen the new iPhone in person, there is one thing that I am curious about. In the world of smart phones and qwerty keyboards, how is the iPhone going to stack up against the existing thumb board phones already available. Being an satisfied owner of a Motorola Q, I don't think that I could live without that little keyboard. I guess we will see when the iPhone actually hits the market.