I would rather have an iBrick then give AT&T a Penny



Well, Apple made the statement yesterday that their next firmware update is going to make my iPhone running on a T-Mobile Sim a iBrick. Honestly, I would rather smash the thing then run have to be bound to AT&T.

The iPhone is cool but you’re not going to get me to restore and stick the AT&T Sim back in. It’s not going to happen in this lifetime.

Apple, do what you must but I guarantee you the world is not just going to give you much of a pass on this one. You are completely within your legal right to try and make my SIM-unlocked phone a iBrick. At the same time I am within my legal right to keep it unlocked and use the device with a carrier I want.

The problem you have Apple, is you got greedy and wanted exclusive deals that put money in your pocket instead of releasing a open device that would have made it the world default phone.

Imagine a completely Open iPhone with no SIM lock. You would have made up the difference in sales volume alone and guaranteed that your entry into the mobile market would have truly competed with other major handset manufactures.

Very Short-Sighted there, Mr Jobs.

 

About Todd Cochrane

Todd Cochrane is the Founder of Geek News Central and host of the Geek News Central Podcast. He is a Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee and was one of the very first podcasters in 2004. He wrote the first book on podcasting, and did many of the early Podcast Advertising deals in the podcasting space. He does two other podcasts in addition to Geek News Central. The New Media Show and Podcast Legends.


6 thoughts on “I would rather have an iBrick then give AT&T a Penny

  1. You are over-reacting.

    All that Apple said was that if you choose to unlock the iPhone that voids the warranty and you have to accept the consequences if they can prove it. They also said that they won’t go out of their way to break your changes. If the unlock is in software then it is unlikely that they can prove that you tampered with it. A hardware change is definately out of warranty.

    That said, Apple is not required to test any software or firmware fixes against your modifications. So, your unlock is at jeopardy. I can understand your being upset, but you have no rights here. If you buy an unlocking system, buy it from a company that will fix that version if Apple’s changes affect their software.

  2. Grow up tough guy. Apple has every right to protect their investment. AT&T was the only company with enough foresight to work with Apple and help build an infrastructure to support iPhone’s features. It took an exclusive agreement for AT&T to justify the time and money to do this. Who can blame either party?

    As long as you don’t further update your iphone, it’ll work fine as is for as long as you want. Too bad though… I hear the upcoming teleportation feature will be awesome.

  3. So you believe Apple should’ve and could’ve signed up both AT&T and T-mobile before launch.

    Do you really believe that in a two-company scenario, that both companies would’ve been willing (i.e., had enough incentive) to change the activation process, change the distribution network, change the servicing process, change the subsidy process, agree to dismantle the walled garden (i.e., allow Apple to use its own content store), agree to low-pricing for unlimited data, and change its internal systems for Visual Voicemail?

    Or do you think Apple should’ve released the iPhone to customers without any of that in place, and let them fend with the two carriers by themselves?

  4. Hey Todd,

    Apple never said that the next iPhone firmware update will brick unlocked iPhones. What they’ve said is that it some of the unlocking software may have caused damage to the iPhone which could mean that the upgrading to the next firmware might fail leaving the iPhone bricked.

    What I think they are doing here is covering their backs, so that should anyones unlocked phone ends-up bricked after the firmware update the blame has already been placed at foot of the unlocking software rather then with Apple.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if the current batch of unlocking software will fail once the next firmware is installed, but I doubt it’ll take long for this to be worked around.

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