What is the iPhone?
1.1.3 is out! Wwill the iPhone be truly unlockable now? We're going to be able to add our own apps, soon. Steve Jobs announced the SDK at Macworld 2008 and now developers can give us new applications for the iPhone. It's close to a completely unlocked software system (but not quite). The iPhone Dev Team has announced that 1.1.3 firmware update will break any existing hacks to open the iPhone such as the popular Jailbreak tiff exploit.
In the meantime here is a list of valuable resources for the iPhone hacker
After a very successful release where over 500,000 iPhones were sold within the first two days of being available more and more news about the iPhone's actual function is being reported. A short list of items missing from the iPhone include:
- No Voice Dialing
- No Voice Recording
- Lack of IM client
- No Memory card slot
- No Bluetooth file transfer
- No support for MP3 files as ringones (!!!)...and more
These shortcomings make a stronger argument for unlocking the iPhone. David Pogue of the NY Times posted an article that details a lot of problems (as some would see them). Check it out here.
From the Wired Compiler section:
"Last week, we asked you what application you'd most like to see once the iPhone is successfully hacked. The official Compiler vote is in, with the top three choices being the freedom to use any song as a ringtone, the flexibility of an unlocked SIM card and the ability to record incoming and outgoing calls. Other notables from the want list: a real IM client instead of the silly SMS option, a real web browser with plug-in support and a VoIP client a la Skype."
The iPhone is making such a splash because of the blend of features and the unique user interface that controls all of these features. Included in the iPhone are a camera, an iPod media player, web access, email access, text messaging, a full keyboard touchscreen, and last but not least, a cell phone. Currently based on GSM the iPhone is planned to go to the 3G system in the future (Steve Jobs noted this during his keynote speech about the iPhone).
Why is the phone locked?
Different people will give different answers. The locking of a phone to a specific carrier
discourages consumers from leaving an existing cell provider for another because in order todo so they would have to purchase another phone. Unlocked phones can get around this restriction and are able to be registered with most providers as long as the provider supportswhichever technology the cell phone has (such as GSM). GSM phones, such as the Apple iPhone, use a SIM card to determine who you are, who you're subscribed to, etc. It's all done by a unique serial number that is part of each SIM card. Theoretically consumers can take any SIM, stick it in any GSM phone and be connected, but it doesn't always work that way. Many service providers "lock" their phones, meaning only a SIM from them will work in that phone. Almost all GSM phones have proven to be unlockable and speculation about how this will be accomplished on the iPhone is rampant.
Cingular/ATT and T-Mobile (in the US) both support GSM phones while Alltel, Verizon and Sprint do not. Unlocking a GSM iPhone might allow you to use it with T-Mobile service but not the others...yet. 3G versions of the iPhone would change that. As for now, Apple says that it won't have an externally available SIM and it will be locked down. Even the battery will not be replaceable by consumers, you'll have to send in the phone for battery replacement (like the iPod).
How do I unlock it?
Check out the Unlock an iPhone updates page for more information.
This site is not affiliated with Apple, Inc or Cingular Wireless in any way.
