Why bother trying to crack an iPhone?
A British firm’s plan to sell software that could open the iPhone to non-US networks has been put on hold following legal threats.
Last week, Belfast-based UniquePhones joined several others in claiming it had cracked the code which locked iPhone into AT&T’s network.
But a middle-of-the-night phone call from AT&T’s lawyers has forced the firm to rethink its plans.
It will now take legal advice to assess the ramifications, the firm said.
BBC NEWS | Technology | Legal threats halt iPhone crack.
I got my iPhone a few days ago and I have to say that I’m impressed - the interface is slick, the device beautifully engineered and the out-of-the-box experience is exceptional.
The thing that I’m confused about is this – why are so many people getting obsessed with ‘cracking’ their iPhones?
When you invest in a product like an iPhone, part of the experience is the software and service element that comes with it.
As a stand-alone phone, the iPhone is OK, but not exceptional. What makes it magical for me is the way that I can carry my iTunes library around with me, and the beauty of the tightly-integrated o2 services. Without those, it’s just a nice-looking device, but nothing special.
So why are so many people risking everything by spending so much time and effort to crack their phones and free them from o2 and Apple?
Ultimately, the concept of buying a phone and being tied to a network is not a new one. It’s obvious that Apple and o2 are heavily subsidising the cost of the devices to ensure that it is available to as wide an audience as possible.
It’s also likely that future firmware releases are going to lock down or even scramble these phones in the future, which will make some people’s phones no more useful than paperweights.
You might not like it, but the o2 / Apple tie-up is part of the package – if you don’t like it or cannot afford it, don’t buy an iPhone! 