jav6454
macrumors Core
There has never been a tiny print saying "You have to stay with AT&T for an entirely undetermined amount of time after your contract ends to use this phone even as an iPod." has there?
I don't really get how RUMOURS about the alleged five-year agreement between Apple and AT&T can play any role in this lawsuit. For all we know, the agreement could last another 10 years, and everyone with their iPhones would have to stay with AT&T as long as AT&T chooses.
The tiny print on all the ads all the copntracts! That tiny print. In is clearly shown that everything the iPhone does is inherent to itself and the AT&T network.
It's always been known that iPhone is exclusive to AT&T and if you don't like it, there are OTHER phones and OTHER carriers. Also, this lawsuit of monopoly is WAAYYYYY beyond stupid. For someone to make a monopoly claim, there has to be multiple iPhone makers, and that I know of, there is only one. As simple as that. Apple told you when they anounced it, AT&T only. That's already the entire argument for the plaintiff's gone. However, say the judge doesn't buy it.
If you bought it, you willingly accepted that fact and also that it would be AT&T only for as long as Apple wanted. That is easy to bring up in court and destroy half the plaintiff's arguments.
Also, there can't be an iPhone monopoly because the iPhone will not work at it's full potential with other carriers. There goes 1/4 of whatever arguments are left.
For the last 1/4 left, the iPhone is technologically bounded to one network in the US because of hardware issues. So, it doesn't matter that people want to unlock it, it won't work with anyone else (sans T-Mobile).
Ta-da!
Lastly, say this passes, and Apple is found guilty. All Apple has to do is unlock all iPhones (current ones) and make newer ones work only thru AT&T's GSM technology and AT&T's frequencies. Period, you can't make a GSM phone work on CDMA carrier, won't happen, and Apple isn't forced to make that happen.