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iPhone 1.1.1 Aftermath
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Its lucky that Apple released 1.1.1 when they did. I was just about to buy an iPod touch expecting to soon be able to install third party apps. Now there is no chance of me buying an iPhone or iPod touch until apple release an SDK!
Apple promised the features that they would deliver and they did just that, right? The phone works great and most people are happy, right?
I realize that there are a few things missing on the iPhone and I think that a majority of us can live with that. Out of the 1 million + users who already have an iPhone, how many of them actually care about the hacks? What, 1,000 , 2,000 , 3,000 users?
If you want a platform that's completely open to anything and everything but is a pain to use, go with a Microsoft product.
I realize that there are a few things missing on the iPhone and I think that a majority of us can live with that. Out of the 1 million + users who already have an iPhone, how many of them actually care about the hacks? What, 1,000 , 2,000 , 3,000 users?
If you want a platform that's completely open to anything and everything but is a pain to use, go with a Microsoft product.
Exactly. If you're phone is bricked, chances are you unlocked it illegally. I'm arguing for using third party apps on the phone and such, not for illegally using said device an another network, which I have mixed opinions on (personally I would like to see it unlocked, but regardless I have been a Cingular/ATT customer for over a year now since I left Verizon and I have no complaints with them).
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
Enough with the terrible analogies already!
( OK, OK, I liked the Muffin; but it ONLY applies to the computer part.)
The iPhone is not analogous with anything that came before- if it was, we wouldnt be having this argument.
Its TWO devices in one!
A PHONE that MUST be SIM unlocked!
A COMPUTER that does NOT have to be 'unlocked'!
There are TWO freakin issues here! Stop mixing 'em up!
WAIT! There are THREE freakin issues!
IS Apple guilty of criminal damage with 1.1.1?
Er, I think yes, but it all just clouds the arguments horribly.....
I am going to have a nap.
*
Enough with the terrible analogies already!
( OK, OK, I liked the Muffin; but it ONLY applies to the computer part.)
The iPhone is not analogous with anything that came before- if it was, we wouldnt be having this argument.
Its TWO devices in one!
A PHONE that MUST be SIM unlocked!
A COMPUTER that does NOT have to be 'unlocked'!
There are TWO freakin issues here! Stop mixing 'em up!
WAIT! There are THREE freakin issues!
IS Apple guilty of criminal damage with 1.1.1?
Er, I think yes, but it all just clouds the arguments horribly.....
I am going to have a nap.
*
I can understand the locking the iPhone to Att, but keeping 3rd party apps off of it is just stupid, and really could keep it from being as popular as it could be. It really could backfire on apple and make the iPhone a flop.
80,000 dls of iNdependence. That's quite a lot.
Microsoft open? Try linux phones.
I'm patient, I can wait to see what happens over the next few months. I bet things get better than they are now. Whether that's thorugh Apple's actions or not.
Do you have any evidence that Apple is doing any intentional damage to any iPhones? For that, you would have to prove or give reasonable evidence that (a) iPhone unlocking software does not cause any damage to the phone that will show itself the next time any upgrade is performed, and (b) if damage is caused by an Apple upgrade, that this damage is intentional.
Keep in mind that if any damage was intentional, then developers would know about it, and I can assure you that it would not stay secret for long.
You are not "Being told how to use something you have full ownership of". You were simply warned that if you used it differently by hacking the software, you could not guarantee that further updates provided by Apple would still be compatible. If you choose to mess with the OS software you can't seriously expect Apple - or anyone - to ensure that subsequent software updates work around your modifications. You complain about being treated like a child, yet you are behaving like a petulant, spoiled brat. Get real.
ummm, how come nobody is mentioning
that it really isn't at all Apple's choice to unlock it or not. THey are contractually obligated to keep it locked to ATT so they don't get sued by ATT for breach of contract. In the process of making the firmware airtight against hacking they are going to have to shut out the software hacks too. They aren't going to use up all of the genius bar real estate dealing with people coming back in with bricked phones. Steve is not sleeping well at nights. He knows the neg publicity but maybe he should have thought about this when demanding apple get a cut of the service itself from whatever provider they struck their deal with. Perhaps getting att to upgrade their network for VV wasn't worth it.
that it really isn't at all Apple's choice to unlock it or not. THey are contractually obligated to keep it locked to ATT so they don't get sued by ATT for breach of contract. In the process of making the firmware airtight against hacking they are going to have to shut out the software hacks too. They aren't going to use up all of the genius bar real estate dealing with people coming back in with bricked phones. Steve is not sleeping well at nights. He knows the neg publicity but maybe he should have thought about this when demanding apple get a cut of the service itself from whatever provider they struck their deal with. Perhaps getting att to upgrade their network for VV wasn't worth it.
Yes, you are shortsighted. You are not seeing the point like many others aren't. Just understand that it's not all about Apple. Please people look outside of Apple.
All people keep saying is, "Apple screwed us". "Apple wants control on how I use my phone", "What difference does it make to Apple what I do with the phone, they still get paid".
See the point is it's not Apple, it's AT&T but so many people here feel the need to blame only the manufacturer of the phone and somehow leave poor AT&T alone.
AT&T is losing business, and Apple gets a cut from AT&T for every activation so they get nothing if the phone is illegally activated. Apple has a contract with AT&T and pressure is getting put on Apple by AT&T to protect the commitment they have.
If Apple sells 1 million iPhones and AT&T only received 500k activations then something's wrong here. There has to be at least an 80% activation rate against iPhone sales or the commitment is being breached.
Stop blaming Apple all the time, look beyond that and be sensible to what's really going on.
Yeah, I was thinking along similar lines, but blocking the installation of your own ring tones without having to pay Apple twice? That seems a little harsh. I mean, I can even install my own ringtones (granted, in a roundabout way) on my Verizon Bluetooth-crippled Moto e815. I am pondering switching to AT&T for an iPhone early next year when I'm out of contract with Verizon, but if it's going to be that much of a PITA to use music I've already paid for and own for ring-tones, and Apple still doesn't release a proper SDK for the iPhone, I'll stick with the devil I know and re-up with Verizon.
iPhone's revenue for Apple comes in two parts: The handsets themselves, and all the ongoing upkeep and bills.
Apple gets a cut of SMS messaging, ringtones, and AT&T's monthly service fee on the iPhone
Therefore:
1. Instant Messaging is basically like a freer and faster SMS
2. Custom ringtones mean you don't pay Apple
3. Using T-Mobile or other non-AT&T providers prevent Apple from making money.
50% of the profit (or more) on the iphone likely comes from these other revenue streams. It's no wonder Apple is trying to keep people from bypassing it for cheaper alternatives.
I don't own an iPhone and I probably never will, but this will probably bring in more profit than the iPod ever did.
As far as this ridiculous 'fairness' issue brought up by some people... for God's sake, deal with it. You bought the iPhone knowing full well what you were getting into. They're not going to change anything for you because guess what: There isn't anything you can do about it. Especially since most iPhone users give it a positive review even with all the lock-down. People are still buying into this lock-in, so there's no reason Apple should change.
I bought an iPhone (my first digital phone) within the first half hour of going on sale and have been extremely pleased with it. So pleased that I was not one bit offended by the quick price drop and I did not understand all the whining about the price cut.
However, the iPhone very obviously is not all that it can be and I have been rather intrigued by the 3rd party application developments. I held off trying any to see what Apple was going to do with their first software upgrade. I normally update all of my Apple software as soon as any new version comes out, but iPhone 1.1.1 is so pathetically anemic compared to what the 3rd party developers are doing, I decided two days ago to stick with 1.0.2 and start installing the 3rd party stuff. So far, I am amazed at all the new things my iPhone can do and how well they work. I am just as pleased as I have been with the iPhone itself. Unless 1.1.1 can be made compatible with the 3rd party applications, there is no way I will ever install it.
I've been a loyal Apple customer & fan since the days of the Apple II+ and in my opinion I have to say that iPhone 1.1.1 breaking 3rd party applications and ringtones is THE WORST and most INCREDIBLY STUPID thing that Apple has ever done. I can understand their commitments with AT&T motivating them to break the network unlocking stuff and am not in the slightest bothered by that as I have no problem with AT&T. But why in the world does Apple want to break third party applications & ringtones?!
Whatever they think they have to gain by doing so is trivial compared to the beating they are going to take in the cell phone market by making this choice. The iPhone is obviously the best cell phone yet made and everyone who sees mine gets jealous; however, other companies will come up with competitive products, and Apple will get killed if they persist with such a customer surly attitude.
I remember well the early days of the Mac when the initial excitement died down and Mac sales plateaued because Steve Jobs refused to believe there was a market for a customer expandable Mac. It was not until the Mac II that they really started to make inroads into the market with the GUI concept. Unfortunately, Steve Jobs was so stubborn about keeping the Mac locked down that they had to force him out of the company in order to bring the Mac II to market. Looks like its time for somebody to slap some sense into that boy again.
Right now Apple is so far out in front of the industry that they are on the verge of owning the pocket computer device market for a very long time, but if they persist in their ignorant attitude on this issue they are once again going to get shoved aside into being a niche player in yet another market. The honchos at Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, etc. have clearly been in a panic since the iPhone came out, but I expect they all gave a big sigh of relief last week when they saw Apple once again show signs of self destruction.
With a little luck, the independent developer community will break the secrets of 1.1.1 quickly and save Apple from itself.
However, the iPhone very obviously is not all that it can be and I have been rather intrigued by the 3rd party application developments. I held off trying any to see what Apple was going to do with their first software upgrade. I normally update all of my Apple software as soon as any new version comes out, but iPhone 1.1.1 is so pathetically anemic compared to what the 3rd party developers are doing, I decided two days ago to stick with 1.0.2 and start installing the 3rd party stuff. So far, I am amazed at all the new things my iPhone can do and how well they work. I am just as pleased as I have been with the iPhone itself. Unless 1.1.1 can be made compatible with the 3rd party applications, there is no way I will ever install it.
I've been a loyal Apple customer & fan since the days of the Apple II+ and in my opinion I have to say that iPhone 1.1.1 breaking 3rd party applications and ringtones is THE WORST and most INCREDIBLY STUPID thing that Apple has ever done. I can understand their commitments with AT&T motivating them to break the network unlocking stuff and am not in the slightest bothered by that as I have no problem with AT&T. But why in the world does Apple want to break third party applications & ringtones?!
Whatever they think they have to gain by doing so is trivial compared to the beating they are going to take in the cell phone market by making this choice. The iPhone is obviously the best cell phone yet made and everyone who sees mine gets jealous; however, other companies will come up with competitive products, and Apple will get killed if they persist with such a customer surly attitude.
I remember well the early days of the Mac when the initial excitement died down and Mac sales plateaued because Steve Jobs refused to believe there was a market for a customer expandable Mac. It was not until the Mac II that they really started to make inroads into the market with the GUI concept. Unfortunately, Steve Jobs was so stubborn about keeping the Mac locked down that they had to force him out of the company in order to bring the Mac II to market. Looks like its time for somebody to slap some sense into that boy again.
Right now Apple is so far out in front of the industry that they are on the verge of owning the pocket computer device market for a very long time, but if they persist in their ignorant attitude on this issue they are once again going to get shoved aside into being a niche player in yet another market. The honchos at Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, etc. have clearly been in a panic since the iPhone came out, but I expect they all gave a big sigh of relief last week when they saw Apple once again show signs of self destruction.
With a little luck, the independent developer community will break the secrets of 1.1.1 quickly and save Apple from itself.
Its NOT illegal to tamper with your own property. Not at all.
It is almost certainly anti-consumer rights (and soon, I think, illegal) for Apple to lock the SIM, and it may also be illegal right now for Apple to damage phones with an update, no matter how many warnings they put out.
You cant be held to a waiver that destroys your property or your life.
Thats the law.
Man updates phone, tries to call Wife to tell her he left the oven on - phone doesnt work due to 1.1.1 - no call - house burns down.
Man sues Apple.
Ha
you know what I mean. He seems to relish in the underdog digital folk hero status and how "for the consumer" his company is. But he's got himself in a Catch 22. Get sued by your userbase or the Evil Cellular monstrosity you signed this exclusive contract with. It seems a lose lose for him right now. I haven't seen this much bad press on apple since.....?
you know what I mean. He seems to relish in the underdog digital folk hero status and how "for the consumer" his company is. But he's got himself in a Catch 22. Get sued by your userbase or the Evil Cellular monstrosity you signed this exclusive contract with. It seems a lose lose for him right now. I haven't seen this much bad press on apple since.....?
So, if you can clearly read the sign that says "WARNING, ELECTRIC FENCE CAN BE FATEL IF TOUCHED" and you touch it anyway, the damage is criminal?
If you climb into a lion den at the zoo, and you're mauled, clearly disregarding the warning signs, and your own common sense, it's the fault of the Zoo?
Come on...
Old Apple has returned. Total device lock down. Didn't they learn the first time around?
There is absolutely no excuse ( not even the RIAA* ) for the ring tone lock down - you have to buy your ringtones again for the iPhone.
*If RIAA was clamping down on the Apple, they would go after Nokia, SE etc first - but this isn't the case. The sale of iPhones is a drop in the ocean in comparison.
There is absolutely no excuse ( not even the RIAA* ) for the ring tone lock down - you have to buy your ringtones again for the iPhone.
*If RIAA was clamping down on the Apple, they would go after Nokia, SE etc first - but this isn't the case. The sale of iPhones is a drop in the ocean in comparison.
Uh. Actually, if they forced the update on people it'd probably be both inconvenient and illegal.
It's very silly to say all these minor updates required Apple to lock down the phones. How come EVERY third party thing was broken and not just a few? Look at the bug fixes and new features and think about it: did they REALLY need to take away your apps and brick non AT&T phones?
The answer is no. They did it to lock you out. The only reason the update is optional is because THEY COULD BE SUED if it weren't.
Putting aside the possible Antitrust law implications of such an agreement, there is no way to hold Apple liable for a third party 'breaching' the contract. Simply by not offering unlocks to customers and by creating some type of protection to prevent the process to unlock, whether later broken or not would suffice in fulfilling such a obligation legally. They are going above and beyond any possible legal obligation they have.
Just to note, I do not think Apple should tread lightly to not break 3rd party apps or unlocks, however I hope that they are not intentionally working to break phones that have been unlocked. Not only is that bad business, but bad karma and a waste of resources (they're supposedly on their new 'green' trip). Further if it were proven (unlikely) that Apple did actively work to break working phones that were unlocked (which is not illegal, but only a breach of a contractual 'terms and conditions'), then there would be a basis for legal action. It would only be in this highly improbable scenario that I could see a real cause of action.
My 2p.
Nick
To break DRM, actually, yes it is.
If you rip a DVD YOU OWN and bypass the copy protection to do it, you're breaking the law.
Read the DMCA sometime.
I don't fly regionals
so that restriction works for me.
If someone told me I had to fly 1st class on BA (or Virgin, sorry Sir Richard) the rest of my life I would be very happy.
How is this different than a regular sw update?
How is this any different from any software update that Apple or Microsoft has issued in the past that would break compatibility with any number of software applications I might have on my computer?
Either I upgrade the OS (10.2.x to 10.3.x to 10.4.x to 10.5 or XP to Vista) for the features those upgrades give me knowing that some of my applications may not be compatible or...I wait until the SW developer announces compatibility with the new OS and then upgrade.
I'm fairly confident a few things are going to happen sometime in the near future:
-An official SDK will be released from Apple.
-Apple will begin offering additional functionality by releasing new programs that run on the iPhone that will make the updates even more desireable to have. (Improved customer service by enhancing features)
-The iPhone product line will be expanded with support from different carriers (I'm sure T-Mobile wants to have a piece of this pie now)
-Third party developers will update their ringtone and other software to support the 1.1.1 iphone update and anything else that might come from apple in the future.
How is this any different from any software update that Apple or Microsoft has issued in the past that would break compatibility with any number of software applications I might have on my computer?
Either I upgrade the OS (10.2.x to 10.3.x to 10.4.x to 10.5 or XP to Vista) for the features those upgrades give me knowing that some of my applications may not be compatible or...I wait until the SW developer announces compatibility with the new OS and then upgrade.
I'm fairly confident a few things are going to happen sometime in the near future:
-An official SDK will be released from Apple.
-Apple will begin offering additional functionality by releasing new programs that run on the iPhone that will make the updates even more desireable to have. (Improved customer service by enhancing features)
-The iPhone product line will be expanded with support from different carriers (I'm sure T-Mobile wants to have a piece of this pie now)
-Third party developers will update their ringtone and other software to support the 1.1.1 iphone update and anything else that might come from apple in the future.
No.
Thats simply wrong. AT&T WILL unlock your iPhone after 90 days. Call them if you dont believe me.
Unfortunately, Apple has not given them the unlock codes for the SIM.
What a mess this is - write these points down and read them over and over again until you get it:
1 SIM and OSX computer are separate objects and issues.
2 Criminal damage is not OK just because you issued a warning.
3 Its not illegal to unlock your damn iphone.
4 AT&T offer unlocking for the SIM after 90 days - call them.
5 3rd party Apps are great, but its at your own risk.
6 IF you could still make calls after 1.1.1, people wouldnt be so mad.
7 $400 is a lot to lose just because a nice man said you could have Sudoku on your iphone.
BTW, good post X38!