iLounge

1

Only €999?! Can I have ten, please!

But, seriously, what will this mean for Apple warranty/software upgade practice? Now that they have legally unlocked phones out there they won’t be able to brick them during upgrades.

Posted by Ivan M. on November 21, 2007 at 6:18 AM (PST)

2

Some markup there…...

Posted by Bob Levens in UK on November 21, 2007 at 6:19 AM (PST)

3

Firstly, I strongly suspect that this is a bluff/game on the part of T-Mobile to comply with some part of the recent court ruling.  By offering an unlocked iPhone at a price point that very few people will actually pay, they meet the technical requirements without actually sacrificing anything realistically.

More to the point, however, a SIM-unlocked iPhone at the hardware level does not necessarily mean that Apple is going to cooperate in activating said iPhone.  Further, since the activation aspect is unique to the iPhone (no other phones have a similar equivalent to this), there may be no laws that specifically address this part of the issue and thereby compel Apple to activate non-approved SIM cards.  After all, the hardware itself would be free of any traditional SIM-lock, but the phone would still be unusable without hacking.

In order to facilitate this, Apple would either have to provide a different strand of firmware that eliminates the activation requirement (extremely unlikely), or open up their iTunes-based activation servers to other SIM card IDs (also very unlikely). 

As things stand now, the iPhone may be hardware unlocked, but connecting it to iTunes will likely result in the standard “There’s no carrier that supports the installed SIM card in the
iPhone” response, and a refusal to activate it.

The only possible compromise is that they allow Vodafone and other German carriers to activate with non T-Mobile SIM cards, but even that seems like a bit of a stretch, particularly since EU laws would likely require them to open up all European carriers for this purpose.

Posted by Jesse Hollington in Toronto on November 21, 2007 at 6:36 AM (PST)

4

Nobody in their right mind would pay that price for a phone when there are less expensive phones available for purchase.  You come out cheaper buying an iPod touch & some other phone to use.

Posted by Audrey McGirt on November 21, 2007 at 9:13 AM (PST)

5

I think this is wrong. There are many devices out which only run for chosen carrier. I would understand if there is only ONE Provider, AND no OTHER CHOISE BUT .. there are many choices.

I agree that t-mobile need to come upo with a better customer pointed plan.

I do not agree that if apple chose to go with T-mobile that after a open anouuncment and viewing the different carriers that apple can’t chose the carrier they want, THey think is the best choise for apple and their product.

I understand that the customer is the one that counts so that means, TMOBILE better get their stuff together and design a customer device friendly plan(s)

for Vodafone, well,.. they did not win or get chosen so stop crying and get better so that in the in the future u get the next chance

Posted by dennis on November 21, 2007 at 12:52 PM (PST)

6

I’ve checked out the t-mobile german website and there is no word of a unlocked version of IPhone being offerd.

I see that the plans ar similar to the US but the minutes are way out of balance.

Posted by dennis on November 23, 2007 at 8:01 AM (PST)

7

Last time I checked the price for an 8GB Nokia N95 without a contract was 760 Euro (in a Vodafone shop). So, 999 Euro for the iPhone isn’t as bad as it might look at first sight.

Posted by turritus on November 24, 2007 at 10:03 AM (PST)

8

Turritus: Compare the prices and feature sets of an N95 8GB vs. an iPhone, then come back and tell the iPhone is “not bad.” You may need some narcotics first, though.

Apple: You reap what you sow. I’ll leave my maniacal laughter at your expense out of my post.

Posted by The Doctor on November 26, 2007 at 1:36 PM (PST)