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iPhone Freed From AT&T, Twice

Posted by kdawson on from the everything-but-the-visual-voicemail dept.

A very large number of readers sent in stories about one or the other of the two new claims to have unlocked the iPhone for use on other GSM carriers. A New Jersey teenager, George Hotz, posted instructions for unlocking the iPhone using a soldering gun and a lot of patience. This is from coverage in a local NJ paper: "If someone handed him an iPhone new out of the box, he could modify it in 'about an hour,' he said. A person following his directions might take 'a good 12 hours,' the teen estimated." Hotz has put up a YouTube video substantiating his claim, and is conducting an eBay auction for one of his two hacked phones. The other hack is by a commercial outfit called iPhoneSIMfree.com, whose claim Engadget has verified. The company will be selling licenses to the hack, minimum quantity 500, at a price not yet announced. These hacks are much bigger news for those outside America. Expect to see an industry spring up to meet European (and Asian?) demand for freed iPhones.

6 of 357 comments (clear)

  1. Re:More Like.... by monktus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There's nothing to stop you unlocking any other phone (in Europe anyway), so I doubt the iPhone will be any different. If anything, if Apple tries to prevent it, I could see the European Commission stepping in.

    --
    Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals... except the weasel."
  2. Meh by El+Lobo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Bah, It's not like he made it's battery replaceable.

    --
    It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!!
  3. Re:Why do all this... by sokoban · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because there are good projects like the iPhone already here.

    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 is the magic number.
  4. Re:Do you smell that? by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Cell phones are not covered under the DMCA. Neither were ink cartridges, but try telling that to Epson.
    --
    My blog
  5. Re:More Like.... by owlnation · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unlocking a phone isn't illegal. (nor should it be)

    Apple doesn't lose out of this, so I can't see them rushing to redesign the hardware or software.

    The only loser it AT&T. And one can easily argue that if the provided a good connection product, at a competitive price and backed it up with quality service they'd have nothing to worry about.

    But, of course, the only reason for all service providers all over the globe to use lock-ins is because the last thing any phone company offers is any of the above.

    So, yeah, let's hear those world's smallest violins.

  6. Someone please explain this.. by Rexdude · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You don't buy an internet router from your ISP.
    You don't buy cars from the Highway Department (or equivalent)
    You don't buy your TV,dishwasher,microwave or other electrical appliances from the electricity company.

    So why on earth do americans still meekly accept the logic of buying mobile phones from service providers?

    The sooner unlocked phones proliferate, there won't be a need to jump through such hoops to unlock an iPhone, or any other phone.

    --
    "..One hosts to look them up, one DNS to find them, and in the darkness BIND them."