Ok, I don't get it. Please explain to me: What exactly is the advantage for the customer if the iPhone is available from only one provider? (or are you working for T-mobile? In that case I see why you think it's positive).
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T-Mobile Relocks iPhone in Germany
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Ok, I don't get it. Please explain to me: What exactly is the advantage for the customer if the iPhone is available from only one provider? (or are you working for T-mobile? In that case I see why you think it's positive).
Geek reference:
Back in the early '90s when Square was partnered solely with Nintendo, if you wanted Final Fantasy III (VI), you got a Super Nintendo (Famicom). If you didn't have a Super Nintendo, you couldn't play Final Fantasy III. And if you wanted to play Final Fantasy III that badly, you got a Super Nintendo. There wasn't really an advantage or disadvantage, but if you wanted that product, you went with its corresponding partner. It was a matter of consumer decision.
Obviously, these are different markets in discussion here, but the partnering concept remains the same.
Its quite simple really...if you want it to work properly and do everything it was designed to do then that is the customer advantage. If you don't like it the way its offered then...geeeeee whiz.....DONT BUY IT! Quit your whinin and go back to Burger King...there you can get it your way. If you you want to make a change in someones business model then I suggest you start working for a CEO slot so that "YOU" can make a change. Apple made the decision with T-Mobile, the courts saw in favor of said contract and that is just the way the cookie crumbles, so get over it and move on!
Well, I don't see why T-Mobile is the only company in Germany that is able to make everything work properly. Apple could easily team up with other providers and make sure that they provide the same quality of service as T-Mobile (in fact, it's not really a technical problem, the features required by the iPhone are so dated that every provider in Europe supports them).
I personally don't care who sells the iPhone because I don't want one, however, the argument that sticking to one provider improves the quality seems flawed to me. Simple (hypothetical) example: I might happen to live or work at a place where there's no T-Mobile reception, but which is covered by Vodafone or O2 or whatever. I might still want an iPhone, even though you think I'm not entitled to have one, because I'm not the CEO of Apple. How am I better off now?
I see why partnering is good for Apple, but my question was: How is it good for the customer
I didnt say you werent entitled to have an iPhone because you're not the CEO of Apple...If I did then show me where.
This debate has been going on long before the phone got to Europe. The simple fact is...Apple talked to those cellular networks that showed an interest in the iPhone. They presented their contracts, rates propositions etc. and those that agreed became carriers...those that didnt like whatever the contract offered...declined. It is that simple. I want NFL Ticket on my cable TV...guess what...can't get it...I would have to go satellite route and sign that contract. Same goes for a silly cell phone...if you want a specific one then you go where its offered...if you don't like it then you don't get it...so I watch what is offered for the weekend on the NFL and grin and bear it. Its called life, its not a perfect world and every "single" individual can NOT be catered to ... a happy medium is established and adapted to. It does not matter if its a benefit to the customer or the company...for some its a benefit to the customer as is...they are the happy users of the iPhone...for others it is not...they are the happy users of some other cell phone. Accept it for what it is and move on in life...as you said yourself...your not interested in one so why bother...its a cell phone that with in a year will be replaced anyway.
No, the difference was for an unlocked phone, and that is what the customer has in his/her hands.
If (BIG IF) they were to decide to re-lock it, then the customer would be in the right to ask for a refund of the difference, or return the phone and ask for a total refund and the cancelation of the contract due to a breach of contract (unlocked iPhone is no longer unlocked).
I bet not many people bought an unlocked phone this close to the court case, so the liability is very limited regardless of what action the cell carrier decides.
Some don't mind AT&T and like the idea of paying less for the phone. Not everyone is anti-this-or-that.
Those of us living in a country where the Iphone is legitimitly offered, then I guess... yeah, suck it up, switch to ATT/T-moblile/etc and get on with your life.
But what about us who live in countries where the iphone isn't offerered yet, and there doesn't seem to be any plans to offer it in the forseeable future? (Canada for one?)
I would LOVE to go to rogers get a NO-Data plan and buy a locked iphone. I really really would. (if they offered proper data plan rates all the better)
What are we suppose to do? We gotta go to ebay. Which sucks I should know I just got my "unlocked" iphone yesturday that doesn't work with my simcard... now I have to unlock it myself.
What are we suppose to do?
But what about us who live in countries where the iphone isn't offerered yet, and there doesn't seem to be any plans to offer it in the forseeable future? (Canada for one?)
I would LOVE to go to rogers get a NO-Data plan and buy a locked iphone. I really really would. (if they offered proper data plan rates all the better)
What are we suppose to do? We gotta go to ebay. Which sucks I should know I just got my "unlocked" iphone yesturday that doesn't work with my simcard... now I have to unlock it myself.
What are we suppose to do?
Until Apple legaly sells them there or Rogers sell them there, basically you have to wait. Besides, once you see the prices that Rogers is going to charge you may not want it. There are more phones and other things in life that are more important, besides version 2 is coming in less than 6 months.
Wow... So which one are you? an arrogent american who thinks that he is blessed by the heavens cause he lives in america or are you someone who has his underware wound so tight that he/she can't bend the rules no matter what?
LONG LIVE BIG BROTHER!
What makes it illegal to sell them there now? This is getting as dumb as region encoded DVDs.
I agree, a reasonable ruling. Wouldn't hold my breath for the French courts to make similar decisions when and if they come up.
Anyone who purchase a phone in France can ask for the unlocking code from the carrier for free --- 6 months after they bought the phone. But you have to sit on the phone for 6 months. If you want the unlocking code right away --- then you have to pay the unlocking fee.
399 euro is for iphone with 2 year contract with the iphone plans (wait 6 months to get free unlocking code or pay 100 euro to get it now right away). Either way you are stuck with a 2 year iphone contract.
549 euro is for iphone with a 2 year contract with any standard Orange plan. Again wait 6 months or pay 100 euro to get the unlocking code right away. Either way you are stuck with a 2 year Orange contract.
649 euro is for a iphone without any Orange contract. Again wait 6 months or pay 100 euro to get the unlocking code right away. So if you want a fully unlocked iphone right now --- it's 749 euro.
There is nothing ILLEGAL about locking/unlocking the iphone in North America.
Apple just doesn't have to help you unlock it, and is allowed to do what ever it can to lock it.
But there is nothing illegal about it.
Region encoded DVD's are actually quite sensible. Aside from the Spiderman or X-Men sequals --- 99% of the movies are shown at different times of the year in various parts of the world.
Why? Because Americans don't go to the movies in the middle of a giant snow storm in January or February. For the last 20 years, Jackie Chan has always opened his movies during Chinese New Year in January or February in Hong Kong. When you watch Australian Open tennis in January --- you can see Australians bringing their kids to see the matches during their summer holidays.
Japanese and Korean carriers are even worst in unlocking up their phones. Korean USIM cards (in their WCDMA phones) are locked to specific phones --- you can't even give your old phone to your little brother who has the same carrier as you.
You are the one who needs a lesson of ignorance and arrogance. The iphone launch in Europe is the perfect example of how idiotic European sim-locking laws, consumer protection laws and anti-trust laws are. O2 is not even going to give you the unlocking codes after your iphone contract is up. T-Mobile Germany just made a voluntary gesture to provide unlocking codes after your iphone contract is expired. Orange can charge any insane price they want for the unlocked iphone --- they could have charged 1000 euro (they didn't do it but it doesn't mean they couldn't do it by law).
What we have here is Americans paying cheaper iphones for the hardware, cheaper iphone plans with unlimited m2m, unlimited nights and weekends and rollovers. And without all these idiotic European sim-locking laws --- AT&T manages to promise that they will provide unlocking codes for the iphone when your contract is expired.
You people really are blinded by bias, aren't you? Apple locking the iPhone down to carriers has nothing to do with "making stuff work well", it has to do with Apple getting a cut of the monthly contract.
The iPhone is locked for one reason and one reason only: Apple's sheer greed. Consumers get screwed with rip-off contracts to line Apple's pockets for the length of the contract, after buying the device at full price.
If the carrier lock down had nothing to do with money, but was to ensure network/phone compatibility then they could put iPhones on every network that met their requirements and they wouldn't be demanding money from monthly fees.
"Customer advantage"- Don't make me laugh, the iPhone is locked down so much for Apple's advantage and no other reason. I have yet to hear a single valid reason why Apple deserve a cut of something they have nothing to do with, your phone network. And who pays for this? The customers who pay for "iPhone" contracts that are waaaay more expensive than normal ones.
The iPhone is Apples way of gouging gullible customers for no particular reason, I find it quite repulsive personally.
And this ruling does nothing to encourage competition. Exactly the opposite. T-Moble/Apple can now do what they want with the plan, including reducing the contents increasing price and the consumer can do F all about it.
Had the decision gone in favor of Vodafone, and the iPhone been available on any plan, then companies like Vodafone, O2, etc would have put out similar plans which undercut T-Mobile. That wont now happen as you and I can not buy the iPhone unlocked.
It's not Apple's fault that the iphone plans in Europe is way more expensive than normal ones.
AT&T's iphone plan is basically a standard voice plan plus their regular price $20 data plan. No price gouging in the US.
The Vodafone lawsuit has always been just a plain old nuisance lawsuit. If Apple and T-Mobile felt that there was some German local laws that threaten their business model --- they could have priced it like in France.
...and the other side of the coin is "YOU" who are blinded by hate toward something you just can't grasp or accept. You are right, the iPhone IS locked down for one reason and one reason only...money, which is what capitalism is all about. They created this digital item and have every right in the world to sell it as they see fit. It is not my place nor yours to say if they are right or wrong...they invented/created it...they sell it...PERIOD The same goes for any other product in the world...it is made to make money for the creator...if you like it you buy it...if you don't, THEN DON"T This is why you see a rampage of lawsuits from everyone on the street to corporations and business's because somebody used somebody's invention or this is not fair or they didnt do it the right way...it goes on and on and on.
Apple DID lock down their phone for their advantage...your right....but your wrong about the phone network....they do deserve a cut because IT IS THEIR PRODUCT and CREATION and that is how they CONTRACTED it to the network and the ones that pay for it are the ONES THAT WANT TO pay for it. And another reason they locked it down is to give whiner boys like yourself a reason to BITCH about something else that isnt their way.
For your simple minded information...my phone bill is now CHEAPER with my iPhone and AT&T contract then it was with Verizon and my Treo so your info is unfounded. I am neither gullable nor am I being gouged. I did my research, made my comparisons and made a decision that I felt was right for my phone/data usage. I am not an apple fan....I use a Sony computer w/windows and love it...never had a problem. I did use an iPod for my media but before that it was a multitude of MP3 players that were waterproof or had FM radio or god knows whatever option. Point being...If you don't like something then DON'T BUY it or Sign a contract and better yet...grow up and quit whinin about something that over 1 million users and growing love!