“Much to our amazement, we noticed today that PureMobile.com, a online cell phone retailer, is touting unlocked iPhones on its Web site,” Kent German blogs for CNET.
“Uh, excuse me? An unlocked iPhone that you could use on T-Mobile or any other GSM carrier? Needless to say, that blows the conventional wisdom out of the water. Not only would an unlocked version let too much control of the iPhone out of Apple’s hands, but also we can’t imagine that AT&T would be too happy with it, either,” German writes.
“We’re thoroughly skeptical that this is for real. PureMobile (a certified CNET retailer) was closed for the day at 3 p.m. Pacific time, so we couldn’t verify any other details. As such, we advise you to take care before plunking down any cash. Also, it’s important to note that an unlocked iPhone will be subject to the same peculiarities as all unlocked phones. You should be able to make calls without any problems, but without any carrier Internet settings, data features won’t work out of the box,” German writes.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Mr. Peabody” for the heads up.]
It must be that Chinese knock-off version!!!
…and comes in brown!
PR stunt
If it squirts, then sign me up for two.
sounds like a “cease and desist” order is in the mail…
Expect a flood of iPhonies to come.
I suspect you can use any GSM service with all of them, but you will lose a lot of the cool features that have been tied into AT&T, so you would get a limited experience – Apple will never let people know there is a limited option out there – they want people to have the full experience.
The coolest thing that AT&T could do is say – we are not going to require contracts because we believe that the experice is so good that no one will leave!
The coolest thing that AT&T could do is say….
Whatever you’re smoking, I can tell you it is not legal dude.
“”PureMobile (a certified CNET retailer) was closed for the day at 3 p.m. Pacific time, so we couldn’t verify any other details… You should be able to make calls without any problems, but without any carrier Internet settings, data features won’t work out of the box,” German writes.”
If you weren’t able to confirm, how can you categorically deny?
Dumb ass.
It is your right to have your phone unlocked. If you choose to sell the iPhone later, a buyer should be able to use that phone on any GSM network. For example I called Cingular a whie back and they helped me unlock my Palm Treo 650 before I sold it on eBay and they did not give me a hasstle about it. AT&T only cares that you keep your plan for two years whether you have an iPhone, Blackjack or whatever else and Apple only cares if you purchase the iPhone at full retail price (like an iPod sale). Even if your iPhone is unlocked, Apple and AT&T still win because both will be keeping a customer even if the device is not tied to either company. You will get an early disconnect charge no matter what device you purchase with AT&T.
Counterfit phone but not the Apple iPhone that AT&T are planning to release next week. There was another company that has said it to will sell unlocked iPhones. I really don’t see how without breaking the law as Apple and AT&T have both stated only they have the rights to sell the phone for the next two years. Would any of the other carriers even try to activate an iPhone under there service knowing full well they would essentially be breaking the law? I don’t think so. You would be forced to go to AT&T anyways.
here is a link to another company that is selling an unlocked iPhone
http://www.elite-electronix.com/product_info.php?cPath=213_189&products_id=724
They were advertising it as unlocked, and a friend has one on order, I tried several weeks ago to order one, but they are not taking any more orders until they start getting product
We live in Mexico and I have friends who have used them to buy unlocked USA version cell phones, then put a TelMex simm card, and they have had no problem. It is common practice here to buy locked USA phones and have them unlocked, TelMex even encourages and will give you names of companies that unlock phones, they want the service contract and realize many do not want to wait for the phone to come here, (we are on the bottom of the pole, the whole world gets the newer phones before we do) as in the razar just came here last year.
If I was living in the States, I would be inline to buy one thru ATT, and if this doesn’t work out, I will still buy one thru ATT, but will use them sparingly, (59 cent pm roaming) and hope JaJah comes thru on their promise of VOIP for the iPhone
There is no “right” to a unlocked phone. T-Mobile will unlock a phone after 30 days, but the old Cingular would seldom do it.
The “unlocked iPhone” thing is a stunt to get you to their site, nothing more.
@Caruso: “The “unlocked iPhone” thing is a stunt to get you to their site, nothing more.”
Again, why do you and others without the knowledge, or experience on this issue go off half cocked?
As several here have stated, and from my own experience traveling around this green Earth can attest: yes unlocked phones are very, very common. Many carriers all around the world will either unlock a phone for you, or direct you to a firm that will. In fact, I once had Verizon unlock another US carrier’s phone for me.
So put it to rest: No the FBI, HLS or CIA will not come to your house and wrestle you to the ground for unlocking an iPhone. Whiny bitches.
It’s the tPhone
MacMania:
OK, not to put too fine a point on it, but you’re a little thick and a bit of a moron. (And by the way, I’m really impressed that you have travelled. Of course, none of the rest of us have ever been anywhere.)
Of course, there are unlocked phones everywhere. I own four myself – but if you had actually learned to read words, you’d would have noticed that my comment had nothing to do with the legality or availability of unlocked phones. Furthermore, I’ll restate using small words you can understand….some carriers will unlock a phone, some won’t.
The point is that the iPhone wlll first be sold as a phone locked to ATT. Any unlocking will have to be achieved through reverse engineering, and will take some time. Cingular/ATT has a history of NOT unlocking their phones….of course they can change this policy, but there is no reason for them to change their policy. (Once in a while you’ll find a carrier’s store that will do it on their own.)
This web vendor advertising unlocked iPhones has no such thing yet and is using that as a way to get people to find the site in a search engine.
I really wish all phones were unlocked so you could use them with any service. I have a Sony Ericsson that I loved, but had to give up because it only worked with AT&T, and AT&T sucked in my area. I switched to Verizon, which has great service here, but I can’t stand my new phone, and the SE won’t work with it. That’s ridiculous in this day and age.
With iPhone, I can understand it because Apple worked with AT&T to create new features that no one else is offering, but in general it’s a ridiculous practice.
If you goto their website and click on the Apple link, it takes you to a page with a picture of the iPhone and it says “Comming soon”. So, that might be a little bit of optimism on their part that they will be able to sell unlocked iPhones soon, or maybe they don’t know what their talking about, but either way – you can’t get one thru them now.
I’m wondering where these phones are coming from, what they’ll cost and how many they’ll have.
I suspect a publicity stunt – the best spin is that their supplier will, in a sudden, shocking, surprise development, be unable to provide any product. Is this (usually illegal) bait and switch advertising – we shall see…
Even if they get some, I expect the quantity will be severely limited for a few years.
Like, its obviously not coming from AT&T, and all the middlemen (including the contract manufacturer) are surely banned from selling to 3rd parties. Sure a few may slip through the cracks, but that’s it. And they’ll be expensive, too.
Some people will sell iPhones on ebay, but the volume will be low and the price high, again.
This only leaves Apple.
Would Apple do this, now, in volume? I just can’t see it – AT&T will surely be all over them, and why would Apple try it, since the iPhone experience will, to some degree, be compromised.
Great, if (potentially) unethical publicity tho.
Just a matter of time before someone cracks it and starts selling the unlock software on ebay, along with the phone.
If they’re related to CNET then they’re probably scam artists
If we all remember from the presentations, part of the “locking” reasons was, the iPhone requires software that is on the provider to perform the way it performs.
The most visible example is the voice mail capabilities, which is one of the coolest features of the iPhone. In order to be able to arrange the messages in that fashion, The iPhone depends on software located at AT&T’s machines, which split, organize and provide people with the voicemail in that matter.
Of course, it’s your right to unlock your phone. The question is, which features are you losing by unlocking it?
Has anyone considered the Cisco iphone could be whta is on offer here?
What !
@Grifterus
Thanks. A voice of reason. Too bad the sad pack (Caruso being chief among them) keeps talking about things with certainty, and they have absolutely no inside knowledge.
Rock on Grifterus!
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MDN Magic Word: lost. I guess MDN is familiar with the know-it-all, losers like Caruso