iPhone Owners Demand To See Apple Source Code

CWmike writes "iPhone owners charging Apple and AT&T with breaking antitrust laws asked a federal judge this week to force Apple to hand over the iPhone source code, court documents show. The lawsuit, which was filed in October 2007, accuses Apple and AT&T of violating antitrust laws, including the Sherman Act, by agreeing to a multi-year deal that locks US iPhone owners into using the mobile carrier. On Wednesday, the plaintiffs asked US District Court Judge James Ware to compel Apple to produce the source code for the iPhone 1.1.1 software, an update that Apple issued in September 2007. The update crippled iPhones that had been unlocked, or 'jailbroken,' so that they could be used with mobile providers other than AT&T. The iPhone 1.1.1 'bricked' those first-generation iPhones that had been hacked, rendering them useless and wiping all personal data from the device. The plaintiffs say that the source code is necessary to determine whether all iPhones were given the same 1.1.1 update, and whether it was designed to brick all or just some hacked iPhones."

Comments

WTF, people?

[Qubit]

Seriously, if you want an open phone then go look at Maemo and the n900. That's some slick shit right there -- two cameras! Crazy Sauce! -- and they even give you root. Hallelujah!

The iPhone? You actually had any aspersions at all that you weren't buying some slick Disney-fied locked-down hood-welded-shut art object? Are you missing a more than a few brain cells?

Me, I'd like an open phone, but the n900 is a little pricey so I'm trying to find a used HTC G1 for el cheapo that I can root and run Replicant on. Sure, you have to find a way to root the Android phones, but once you do I'm pretty sure that T-mobile isn't going to try to castrate the cojones of your phone by pushing an update to you. They're going to happily take your monthly, no-contract fee and then let you use your phone in relative peace.

I love it. All these iPeoples lining up to plunk down their cash for some pretty looking but pretty-much-guaranteed-to-restrict-your-ass piece of hardware. You know that they have a word for this kind of thing, right? It's called a Siren, and you need to get your crew or your mates or whoever you hang with to keep you off the special sauce that they're serving up, piping hot.

Let's just take a look at that complaint "locks US iPhone owners into using the mobile carrier." Well no shit, Sherlock, time to fire up Spotlight and search for n00b on your Mac.

How many times do us so-called "crazy Free Software folks" have to remind you that you don't get Freedom because BillyG or SteveyJ wants to give you a Christmas bonus. You get capital-F Freedom with your phone and your software when you jump down, turn around, and buy and use the phone that gives you that Freedom. You want source code? Sure, it's all here, including the build scripts so that you can verify that you're building what you want to build and running what you want to run on your phone. If you can't root that phone and hold onto root, then Just Say No.

Time and time again this happens, and every time I hope that people will get the message, but it just never seems to sink in. So hold on just a second, let me slip into these asbestos pants and then you can go ahead and overturn an Apple Cart of fanboi vitriol on me. One day...one day maybe you'll thank us.

Re:Same concept between the modded xboxes and this

[m.ducharme]

MMS is garbage. It was a way for cell carriers to charge extortionate rates to teenagers so they can send around shitty photos on their parents' dime. In all the cell phones I've owned, the one feature I would never have missed is MMS. If I had an iPhone, I wouldn't send a pic via MMS at $1.50 or whatever it is a pop, when I can attach the pic to an e-mail in my favourite webmail and send it for basically nothing.