It is not legal if they are doing it via illegitimate access to Apple's database/servers. That would be illegal.
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Websites Offering New Remote iPhone Unlocking Services
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It is not legal if they are doing it via illegitimate access to Apple's database/servers. That would be illegal.
You are aware that Androids are also sold locked, right (except nexus)? Yes, some are available unlocked and there are locks of unlocks available....wait, that just like iPhones.
carry on...
This 'll probably vary by the local culture by country, but I live in a country where sim locking has been illegal until recently,(so we're not used to cheap smartphones with expensize contracts) while in the US traditionally most phones were/are simlocking offered "subsidized" by a carrier.
If you' re used to a cheap subsidized phone(with expensize carrier contract), you're less likely to pay 700 for an iPhone 32GB(though since I choose my own carrier it's cheaper in the long run.
I do think Apple should ofer sim-lock free iPhones worldwide, but if you can get cheap subsidized Blackberries,Androids,Nokias,... it's not the smartest move commercially.
If you' re used to a cheap subsidized phone(with expensize carrier contract), you're less likely to pay 700 for an iPhone 32GB(though since I choose my own carrier it's cheaper in the long run.
I do think Apple should ofer sim-lock free iPhones worldwide, but if you can get cheap subsidized Blackberries,Androids,Nokias,... it's not the smartest move commercially.
In the US, about the only competitor for unlocked iPhones was T-Mobile; it seems that AT&T has closed that option...
It ll probably take at least one year for the merger to complete. Until then, we ll still see people wanting unlocked iPhones
No matter how you see it, its easier to live on the Android environment that the iOS environment for unlocking.
Apple just made it nearly impossible.
Um. Well, I bolded my favorite parts of what you said. Am I the only one who sees the irony in this post? Tired of a locked ecosystem, and claiming theres no freedom in the US... and then talking about travelling to China... really? You must want to kill yourself while you're in China.
huh?
Why pay $200 to some skecthy website, when you can go to Walmart and pay $200 for the Nokia E71 Straight Talk.
Why pay $200 to some skecthy website, when you can go to Walmart and pay $200 for the Nokia E71 Straight Talk.
I bought the unlock this morning. I'll give you guys an update once mine is done. Other members got confirmation their unlock were done.
You really have never been there, even russia is more open than the US. The US is a corporate dictatorship my friend. Open your eyes.
But yes the intenet sucks in china, completely blocked.... i go there for work, not pleasure.
Good luck when Apple purges their list to make sure locked phones stay in their appropriate area.
Every time I read these threads I'm reminded why I don't have an iphone. Yeah, I have many other Apple devices, including a 3G iPad, but no iphone. I refuse to be a slave to the man. I wish subsidized devices didn't exist in this country. It reduces competition by locking people into contracts and ultimately holds technology back. Yeah, more people can own the "coolest" phone, but IMHO the ends don't justify the means.
Carrier locks/unlocks have nothing to do with how 'open' the iOS environment is. It is completely dictated by the carrier contract.
Hate on Apple for their locked ecosystem, but at least hate on them for the right reasons.
Great. Then what?
Jailbreaking doesn't unlock it and many iPhone 4's cannot currently be exploit unlocked.
AT&T still is the exclusive GSM carrier in this country. Nobody knows how long this exclusivity will last. Since AT&T purchased T-Mobile, AT&T has no motivation to unlock the phone. Since our politicians have been bought off by lobbyists from Verizon, AT&T, etc., there's no motivation to advance our interests.
+1 Too many ignorant people don't understand that jb is dependent on the iOS, while unlocking is dependent on the baseband.
Ultimately, you can only have it one way or the other if you want to get a subsidised iPhone.
In the UK, you can get your iPhone unlocked because you're still bound to the contract, even after your carrier has unlocked your phone. So if you want to unlock and go for another carrier, you either cancel your contract and pay it out till the end, or you pay for your iPhone contract AND whichever other carrier you choose to go for. i.e. carrier doesn't lose out if your phone gets unlocked.
In the US, you get a subsidised iPhone with an expensive contract, decide you don't want to be bound to the contract, pay an early termination fee and you're free to go. i.e. carrier loses out if your phone were to be unlocked.
As you can see, there are positive and negative sides to both cases.
Of course none of this applies if you decide to go "all in" and buy an unlocked iPhone, from a different country if need be.
In the UK, you can get your iPhone unlocked because you're still bound to the contract, even after your carrier has unlocked your phone. So if you want to unlock and go for another carrier, you either cancel your contract and pay it out till the end, or you pay for your iPhone contract AND whichever other carrier you choose to go for. i.e. carrier doesn't lose out if your phone gets unlocked.
In the US, you get a subsidised iPhone with an expensive contract, decide you don't want to be bound to the contract, pay an early termination fee and you're free to go. i.e. carrier loses out if your phone were to be unlocked.
As you can see, there are positive and negative sides to both cases.
Of course none of this applies if you decide to go "all in" and buy an unlocked iPhone, from a different country if need be.