Buying an unlocked 1st gen iPhone

[CrazEtooN]

I am super sorry for asking this, but I need fast answers.

I am talking to someone about buying their first gen iPhone, but it is unlocked. I am an At&t customer and plan on staying that way. I don't need the phone to be unlocked, but it is, and it is one of the only ones for sale in my local area. What do I have to do to it to prevent it from being bricked when I upgrade it to firmware 2.0?

I just don't want to waste my money buying this thing only to brick it when I update. I have never dealt with an unlocked/jailbroken iPhone before, so I don't know the details...

Thanks for any help. Once I get a good answer, I will request this topic be closed. I am just short on time...

 

[nickspohn]

If you want it to work, i believe you are going to have to unlock it because you don't have an iPhone SIM. I'm not 100% positive, but i'm pretty sure.

Nothing will really happen probably if you update to 2.0. The phone will upgrade like normal, but of course it won't be unlocked still. You can also do a restore in iTunes and it will make the iPhone brand new software wise.



Why don't you just get the iPhone data plan and make it a lot easier on yourself... Even though you will have a contract for 2 years, you can still upgrade to a new phone, you just can't leave AT&T.

 

[CrazEtooN]

If you want it to work, i believe you are going to have to unlock it because you don't have an iPhone SIM. I'm not 100% positive, but i'm pretty sure.

Nothing will really happen probably if you update to 2.0. The phone will upgrade like normal, but of course it won't be unlocked still. You can also do a restore in iTunes and it will make the iPhone brand new software wise.



Why don't you just get the iPhone data plan and make it a lot easier on yourself... Even though you will have a contract for 2 years, you can still upgrade to a new phone, you just can't leave AT&T.

I technically do have an iPhone SIM. My SIM came out of my old iPhone, it just isn't in one anymore. I am going to activate it as an iPhone and use the iPhone data plan. I was just concerned that since it was unlocked, when I tried to activate it the proper way, it would get bricked, or if not during activation, when the 2.0 upgrade rolled out.

 

[nickspohn]

I technically do have an iPhone SIM. My SIM came out of my old iPhone, it just isn't in one anymore. I am going to activate it as an iPhone and use the iPhone data plan. I was just concerned that since it was unlocked, when I tried to activate it the proper way, it would get bricked, or if not during activation, when the 2.0 upgrade rolled out.

Oh i see, your first post wasn't clear on that.

You should be completely fine. Just get the phone and restore, and wal ah, it's like brand new.

 

[CrazEtooN]

Oh i see, your first post wasn't clear on that.

You should be completely fine. Just get the phone and restore, and wal ah, it's like brand new.

Cool, I appreciate it.

 

[TsuaSai]

If you just search on youtube for iphone restore there are videos if for some reason you can't figure it out. They helped me I just hacked my phone then had to send it into apple and needed to restore it so I wasn't sure if just restoring through iTunes would brick it either.

 

[gkarris]

Put your AT&T SIM in it.

Put the phone in "restore" mode (while turning on, press and hold the "home" button).

Restore the phone.

After it restarts, it connects to iTunes, and puts you into the AT&T iPhone Activations page.

Fill in your current account and phone number info.

Enjoy your new-older iPhone!

 

[CrazEtooN]

Put your AT&T SIM in it.

Put the phone in "restore" mode (while turning on, press and hold the "home" button).

Restore the phone.

After it restarts, it connects to iTunes, and puts you into the AT&T iPhone Activations page.

Fill in your current account and phone number info.

Enjoy your new-older iPhone!

Groovy. Thanks for the instruction.

I am wondering if this is even worth it though, lol. Seems risky.

 

[Auzburner]

Not much risk involved. I would not worry about this. It's an easy and common process.

 

[gkarris]

Groovy. Thanks for the instruction.

I am wondering if this is even worth it though, lol. Seems risky.

Not really. I had to restore my iPhone once already. It's sort of like reloading the OS on a computer. Then it resyncs with iTunes to restore all your settings and data.

Since you are with AT&T, you might want to consider a subsidized phone (if you are eligible, that is.... *ducks*)

 

[CrazEtooN]

Not really. I had to restore my iPhone once already. It's sort of like reloading the OS on a computer. Then it resyncs with iTunes to restore all your settings and data.

Since you are with AT&T, you might want to consider a subsidized phone (if you are eligible, that is.... *ducks*)

That's the thing, I'm not eligible. Long story short, I wasted my upgrade in March or April...

My plan is to get this phone, use it until the 3G releases, get the 16gig 3G for $299 (because having the current iPhone makes you automatically eligible) and reselling this one.

I just don't see the 16gig 3G iPhone costing any less than $500 unsubsidized, and rumors are making it seems like $600+ is likely. I can get the used phone for $300, and later buy the 16 for $300, totally $600. I can then resell this one, and make back most of my extra cost. Even if I only get $200 for the 1st gen when I resell it, I will still only be out an extra $100, and I just can't see the 16gig 3G selling unsubsidized for less than $400.

In theory, it should work out. My hesitation is that the official pricing hasn't been released from At&t yet, and it could end up surprising me a great deal...

 

[CrazEtooN]

I got it...

Now that it is in my hands and I see all the goodies, I don't want to restore it, lol.

I don't think I have any other option though. Not if I want to use it with an At&t iPhone plan that is.

 

[CrazEtooN]

Put your AT&T SIM in it.

Put the phone in "restore" mode (while turning on, press and hold the "home" button).

Restore the phone.

After it restarts, it connects to iTunes, and puts you into the AT&T iPhone Activations page.

Fill in your current account and phone number info.

Enjoy your new-older iPhone!

I just wanted to ask one more question. The phone currently has 1.1.3 on it. If I do the process as you said, it will restore it then upgrade it to 1.1.4, right?

Still safe?