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Why the next update should not relock the non-AT&T iPhone...

Z

ZaniCWB

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 16, 2004
77
5
Brazil
Fact is that Apple has sold 1 million iPhones in 74 days! The iPhone is a marvellous piece of technology (and you can second that if you have tried one). But these last few days they have sold even more mainly because of these reasons:

First (and of course) the $200 rip off takes place on the stage, with the now only version of 8GB.

But definitely there is something else:

In my opinion, due to the increasing offer of unlocking methods, iPhone has received a big incentive in sales. Well, an easier activation method pops up every single day, since George Hotz succesful hadware unlock. And now most of them are 100% software based (and GUI based too). It means anyone who have internet access can do it. It is really simple and easy by now!

This is per se encouraging the whole world that does NOT have/want AT&T service to buy an iPhone. The risk of something going bad now is actually pretty low, and if Apple doesn't relock them I bet they will sell the 2nd million in a little less than half of the time they took to reach the 1st million milestone. Write it down, I'm betting 40 days or so.

Just my thoughts...

* And I know they get paid for every AT&T iPhone activation, but do the math, selling iPhones generates by far more profit.
 
ZaniCWB said:
Fact is that Apple sold 1 million iPhones in 74 days! But these last few days they have sold even more mainly because of these reasons:

First (and of course) the $200 rip off takes place on the stage, with the now only version of 8GB.

But definitely there is something else:

In my opinion, due to the increasing offer of unlocking methods, iPhone has received a big incentive in sales. Well, an easier activation method pops up every single day, since George Hotz succesful hadware unlock. And now most of them are 100% software based (and GUI based too).

Just my thoughts...
Click to expand...

Really? Exactly how many have they sold because of unlocks?

Unfettered speculation is fine, but let's label it as such shall we?
 
i'd say maybe 100 phones have been sold because the unlocking methods.

95% of people that have cell phones don't know what unlocking is. There is no way that is a main factor.
 
MBHockey said:
i'd say maybe 100 phones have been sold because the unlocking methods.

95% of people that have cell phones don't know what unlocking is. There is no way that is a main factor.
Click to expand...

It can't be as small as 100. Sure it's nothing major, but I think 100 is cutting it a little low.
 
Well I bought one only because of the unlock. If you go around forums and other sites you will see plenty of people have. As far as the original post. I think it will probably break or at least patch the unlock exploits. Apple is in a long term contract with ATT. If bad coding on Apple's part is to blame for a mass movement away from ATT. I'm sure ATT will set their lawyers on Apple.
 
Well guys, most of you have joined the forum very recently... don't you see? I bet you joined because of the iPhone "wow" effect. It's happening again: Apple is on the news every single day, advertisement for free. And don't be fooled by the "no one knows about the unlocking methods". There are links all over the internet (google for them) from US and non US major magazines, newspapers, blogs etc. I mean good advertisement, get it?
 
ZaniCWB said:
Well guys, most of you have joined the forum very recently... don't you see? I bet you joined because of the iPhone "wow" effect. It's happening again: Apple is on the news every single day, advertisement for free. And don't be fooled by the "no one knows about the unlocking methods". There are links all over the internet (google for them) from US and non US major magazines, newspapers, blogs etc. I mean good advertisement, get it?
Click to expand...

It might be news among the crack/hack/and unlock crowd. I read news religiously and outside of this forum I never see mention of it.
 
Apple profits far more from their contract with AT&T than they do with hardware sales.
Don't fool yourself.
Even if iPhone production were down to $200, they'd be making a $200 profit from each sale.
If they only make $10 a person from AT&T that's $240, just in the initial 2-year agreement.
 
When the hardware unlock came out it was everywhere in the news. Kid trades iphone for car was all I read for days.
 
In all probability, the unlocks will be broken. Why? Because apple signed a exclusitivity agreement with Att, and because of that Att will probably force apple to re-lock it. Re-locking it is also in apples best intrest because as far as I know, they also get a cut of the monthly fee from AT&T. Don't be surprised if when you update your iPhone next week, your unlock doesn't work.
 
Luigi239 said:
In all probability, the unlocks will be broken. Why? Because apple signed a exclusitivity agreement with Att, and because of that Att will probably force apple to re-lock it. Re-locking it is also in apples best intrest because as far as I know, they also get a cut of the monthly fee from AT&T. Don't be surprised if when you update your iPhone next week, your unlock doesn't work.
Click to expand...

But from the legal perspective AT&T still has exclusivity. Apple doesn't support other carriers. They have no "good enough" reason to do so.
 
It doesn't matter how much it's spreading.
There are very few people with the perceived savvy/know-how to unlock a cell phone, or even know what unlocking a phone means.
I guarantee there won't be more than 2,000 or so people that buy an iPhone with plans to unlock it.

That couple hundred thousand dollars isn't worth Apple sullying their relationship with AT&T. Apple knows damn well that AT&T is in this agreement for the sole purpose of luring subscribers from other carriers to get an iPhone.
 
ZaniCWB said:
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00717FD3A580C768EDDA10894DF404482

Maybe NY Times will make you google what I said on the previous posts... ;) The iPhone unlock talking is spread all over.
Click to expand...

I didn't say no one reported it, I just said I read news a lot and didn't come across it.

The point being if someone who reads as much news as I do missed the reporting (I found out later on this site), I'm sure many others missed it as well, particularly those who don't even have an iphone.
 
While I agree probably a million people know that its technically possible to unlock an iphone I think the percentage of people who think they can unlock an iphone due to the fact that they know nothing about hacking is extremely small.
 
JBaker122586 said:
Apple profits far more from their contract with AT&T than they do with hardware sales.
Don't fool yourself.
Even if iPhone production were down to $200, they'd be making a $200 profit from each sale.
If they only make $10 a person from AT&T that's $240, just in the initial 2-year agreement.
Click to expand...

Ok, but you're assuming they make US$10 a month... and for 2 years in a row. Well, it seems too good to be true. And Apple sells Apple, as always. They sell the name, they sell the brand. Everyone is buying because it is a phone from Apple and not an iPhone from AT&T.

But if they're making US$10 a month (I doubt it anyway) then you got to have a point of view.
 
...or if it was not locked to AT&T the price would be higher. sure it's not subsidized, but AT&T took a big risk that paid off. I think the amount of people who bought an iPhone because they can un-lock it is far less then you think. Plus really what is the point. It seems everyone is using T-Mobile with their unlocked phones. T-Mobile is just as bad if not worse, they use the same towers, and you still have to use EDGE.

I just don't get it.

All phone companies suck, but really AT&T is not that bad. For realz.
 
JBaker122586 said:
It doesn't matter how much it's spreading.
There are very few people with the perceived savvy/know-how to unlock a cell phone, or even know what unlocking a phone means.
I guarantee there won't be more than 2,000 or so people that buy an iPhone with plans to unlock it.

That couple hundred thousand dollars isn't worth Apple sullying their relationship with AT&T. Apple knows damn well that AT&T is in this agreement for the sole purpose of luring subscribers from other carriers to get an iPhone.
Click to expand...

If you search a little bit you will find some guides that have links to the needed software and picture screens of every step. And BTW, as I said before, most of the unlock softwares now are GUI based (Graphical User Interface, which means just click a button and let the magic begin). How hard is that?
 
synth3tik said:
...or if it was not locked to AT&T the price would be higher. sure it's not subsidized, but AT&T took a big risk that paid off. I think the amount of people who bought an iPhone because they can un-lock it is far less then you think. Plus really what is the point. It seems everyone is using T-Mobile with their unlocked phones. T-Mobile is just as bad if not worse, they use the same towers, and you still have to use EDGE.

I just don't get it.

All phone companies suck, but really AT&T is not that bad. For realz.
Click to expand...

If Apple is making money from AT&T off iPhone use (and I think it's pretty settled that they are), then the phone is subsidized. It's just subsidized differently than we are used to.

More of a backend by the manufacturer subsidy rather than a reduced price at the time of purchase.

If Apple were getting nothing from AT&T, surely the sale price would be higher.
 
MBHockey said:
i'd say maybe 100 phones have been sold because the unlocking methods.

95% of people that have cell phones don't know what unlocking is. There is no way that is a main factor.
Click to expand...
Where do you base your figures on?

Make that top figure at least 101! :)
 
It doesn't matter how hard it is. It's the PERCEPTION of how hard it is that matters.

Common people don't know a thing about "hacking"... it worries them more than anything else. They don't know what unlocking a cell phone means.
Trust me, this unlock ability is not increasing sales by any significant amount.
 
To help out the OP i must say I am buying an iPhone late sep/ early oct so I can run on T-Mobile w/ Prepaid cards. I wouln't even consider an iPhone if it weren't for this.
 
I'm sorry but i dont get it. If you had an unlocked iphone why would you update the phone at all. Just keep the old firmware and keep using you phone.
 
snook911 said:
I'm sorry but i dont get it. If you had an unlocked iphone why would you update the phone at all. Just keep the old firmware and keep using you phone.
Click to expand...

in order to sync your phone apple could make you update your version of itunes &/or your firmware. if you ever want to add anything you may have no choice but to update.
 
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