fake activation or buy then cancel subscription- which is better?

[zub3qin]

Which is better? Using the Independence program, and "hacktivation" or legitimately getting an iPhone subscription which activates the phone and then canceling before 30 days? Is there a difference in feature set?

I think that if apple activates instead of you hacking the phone to make it active, new firmware will be unlikely to disable activation. After all how does iTunes know you aren't simply late on your monthly payment? And iTunes isn't syncing with AT&T to see if you are a current subscriber to AT&T in good standing... no?

 

[VoodooDaddy]

Nothing is going to disable activation. New firmware absolutely will not do that. Activation is a 1 time deal. Once the phone is activated it does not check to see if you are still a current ATT subscriber.

IMO, if you dont plan on having an ATT plan, use independence and save the trouble of having to cancel. All features work after using independence.

BTW, Apple has nothing to do with activation. Its all ATT.

 

[gkarris]

Nothing is going to disable activation. New firmware absolutely will not do that. Activation is a 1 time deal. Once the phone is activated it does not check to see if you are still a current ATT subscriber.

IMO, if you dont plan on having an ATT plan, use independence and save the trouble of having to cancel. All features work after using independence.

BTW, Apple has nothing to do with activation. Its all ATT.

Does Steve consider that "breaking in"? I believe that any phone not on a current plan will be locked down, especially with the updates.

iTunes can tell whether or not you're iPhone is on a current plan...

 

[zub3qin]

Does Steve consider that "breaking in"? I believe that any phone not on a current plan will be locked down, especially with the updates.

iTunes can tell whether or not you're iPhone is on a current plan...

Are you guessing this or have you read that this is true?
Is it really true that iTunes syncs to AT&T and checks to see if you are an active AT&T subscriber? I find this hard to believe but maybe it is true....

 

[one1]

no it does not, that would require at&t to have access to the itunes database and apple isn't handing that key out.

 

[nwlondonlad]

Which is better? Using the Independence program, and "hacktivation" or legitimately getting an iPhone subscription which activates the phone and then canceling before 30 days? Is there a difference in feature set?

I plan to do the same thing in the UK when the phone is released on Nov 9th with 02. I think you have to cancel within 14 days over here as opposed to 30 days. I'll find out this week for sure.

 

[zub3qin]

no it does not, that would require at&t to have access to the itunes database and apple isn't handing that key out.

Don't you mean that requires Apple having access to the AT&T database?

 

[one1]

No we're are not using at&t tunes, we are using apple iTunes. At&t would have to come to apple if they intend to lock an apple phone on an apple application.

 

[sweetice2007]

I plan to do the same thing in the UK when the phone is released on Nov 9th with 02. I think you have to cancel within 14 days over here as opposed to 30 days. I'll find out this week for sure.

do you mean your going to change tarriffs within 14 days after taking the iphone out on the crazy tarriffs they are offering?

 

[mattster16]

No we're are not using at&t tunes, we are using apple iTunes. At&t would have to come to apple if they intend to lock an apple phone on an apple application.

Why do you assume Apple doesn't want to lock phones not on an at&t contract? Apple is receiving revenue sharing on the contracts so they have just as much stake in it as at&t.

 

[nwlondonlad]

do you mean your going to change tarriffs within 14 days after taking the iphone out on the crazy tarriffs they are offering?

Nope, buy iphone, activate with itunes on O2 taking out the cheapest option for £35, play with the mins and data for 10 days, call up O2 cancel contract, use as an ipod touch till i can find a way to unlock and put another sim with another network with a better tariff.

 

[VoodooDaddy]

I cant say with absolute certainty, but I would bet every penny to my name any update is NOT going to un-activate a phone thats not on a plan. Just will not happen. Yes, apple gets a per-subscriber payment from ATT, but Apple also got 100% of the sales from the iphone hardware. You thought the price drop backlash was bad, wait until they de-activate phones just because people are using them without being an ATT customer. Wont happen folks.

 

[aethelbert]

Why do you assume Apple doesn't want to lock phones not on an at&t contract? Apple is receiving revenue sharing on the contracts so they have just as much stake in it as at&t.

Well, if Apple locks them, they lose a bunch of customers who want to use their iPhones without AT&T. I think that Apple can make more profit by selling an iPhone then by not selling one...

 

[sweetice2007]

Nope, buy iphone, activate with itunes on O2 taking out the cheapest option for £35, play with the mins and data for 10 days, call up O2 cancel contract, use as an ipod touch till i can find a way to unlock and put another sim with another network with a better tariff.

are you a current customer? i thought you would have to return the handset to be honest.

 

[nwlondonlad]

are you a current customer? i thought you would have to return the handset to be honest.

No, im not an O2 Customer, they can't tell you to return the handset because you bought that yourself for £269. To be on the safe side i'll be buying mine from apple. All they will do is just cancel the contract which im sure can be done over the phone.

 

[nwlondonlad]

I cant say with absolute certainty, but I would bet every penny to my name any update is NOT going to un-activate a phone thats not on a plan. Just will not happen. Yes, apple gets a per-subscriber payment from ATT, but Apple also got 100% of the sales from the iphone hardware. You thought the price drop backlash was bad, wait until they de-activate phones just because people are using them without being an ATT customer. Wont happen folks.

Exactly, its a win win situation for apple in the long run. I don't even think apple will go that far to block the unlocked phones but they will probably keep saying they intend too just to keep the network providers happy.

 

[nomad01]

No, im not an O2 Customer, they can't tell you to return the handset because you bought that yourself for £269. To be on the safe side i'll be buying mine from apple. All they will do is just cancel the contract which im sure can be done over the phone.

But aren't you contracted into an 18 month contract?

O2 usually charge to let you out of the contract.

 

[nwlondonlad]

But aren't you contracted into an 18 month contract?

O2 usually charge to let you out of the contract.

I'm talking about within the first 14 days of the contract

 

[VoodooDaddy]

After all how does iTunes know you aren't simply late on your monthly payment? And iTunes isn't syncing with AT&T to see if you are a current subscriber to AT&T in good standing... no?

I just want to reiterate my point on this (based on reading you ask this to someone else in another thread). This isnt like Napster or Yahoo music subscription that checks to see if you are still current or else it disables the mp3s your downloaded. The activation is a one time deal. After that iTunes doesnt not check to see if you are still an ATT customer.

Imagine, a year down the road you decide to dump ATT and go somewhere else when the next great thing comes along. You really think that once you drop your contract with ATT the next time you plug in your iPhone iTunes is going to deactivate it?? This isnt a rental service. You BOUGHT the phone. Im guessing there would be a class-action suit if something like that happened.

Of course Im not carfac so Im not smart enough to be believed.

 

[zub3qin]

I just want to reiterate my point on this (based on reading you ask this to someone else in another thread). This isnt like Napster or Yahoo music subscription that checks to see if you are still current or else it disables the mp3s your downloaded. The activation is a one time deal. After that iTunes doesnt not check to see if you are still an ATT customer.

Imagine, a year down the road you decide to dump ATT and go somewhere else when the next great thing comes along. You really think that once you drop your contract with ATT the next time you plug in your iPhone iTunes is going to deactivate it?? This isnt a rental service. You BOUGHT the phone. Im guessing there would be a class-action suit if something like that happened.

Of course Im not carfac so Im not smart enough to be believed.

Hey- I think you are smart too. Don't be offended that I am seeking multiple opinions! That's what forums are for.
I am not worried about apple deactivating phones purposely... I am worried about an Apple firmware update breaking the phone due to some code incompatibility (code that was installed as par of the hack process).

 

[TaKashMoney]

I am also planning on buying an iPhone and just using it as a wi-fi iPod (much more features than the touch). In theory, if I use iNdependence to activate it, will I be able to update the firmware supposedly being released later this week or will it brick my iPhone? If similar features are being released as in Europe, then the iPhone might finally get video-out! I would love this feature!