iPhone unlocked: AT&T loses iPhone exclusivity, August 24, 2007, 12:00PM EDT

It's high noon, Apple and AT&T -- we really hate to break it to you, but the jig is up. Last night the impossible was made possible: right in front of our very eyes we witnessed a full SIM unlock of our iPhone with a small piece of software. It's all over, guys.

The iPhoneSIMfree.com team called us up to prove their claim that they cracked Apple's iPhone SIM lock system, and prove it they did. (No, we don't have a copy of the unlock software, so don't even ask us, ok?) The six-man team has been working non-stop since launch day, and they're officially the first to break Apple's SIM locks on the iPhone with software. It's done. Seriously. They wouldn't tell us when and how they would release it to the public, but you can certainly bet that they'll try to make a buck on their solution (and rightly so). We can hardly believe the iPhone's finally been cracked. No, scratch that -- we just can't believe it took this long.

Again: we can confirm with 100% certainty that iPhoneSIMfree.com's software solution completely SIM unlocks the iPhone, is restore-resistant, and should make the iPhone fully functional for users outside of the US. Read on for details and links to our video, and check out the gallery of images below.

Gallery: iPhone unlocked

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Notes on the install

• The unlock process took only a couple of minutes. From our end it was totally painless.
• Once you put your new, non AT&T SIM in the device, you have to go through the usual activation process. This can, of course, be done by anyone anywhere with the right tools (like iASign or iActivator)
  
• We tested with an active T-Mobile SIM -- after the hack was finished and we reactivated we immediately got full bars and the T-Mobile carrier info popped up in the top bar.
• Everything is otherwise the same, except the menu system now has a couple more options. The root menu has Carrier settings where you can select your preferred network if you don't want to roam.
• The General -> Network menu now has an EDGE network settings area where you can input your carrier's APN and username / password. We put in our T-Mobile info, and were immediately online. (Apparently these hidden menus were added in the 1.0.1 update, they tell us. How convenient!)
  
• Visual voicemail isn't in the cards -- sorry. That was, of course, to be expected because it's a special AT&T network-specific feature right now. When you hit the voicemail button you are taken immediately to your carrier's default voicemail line though, and that works just like it would on any other phone.
• Everything is confirmed as working on a non-AT&T network: SMS send / receive, internet (including Safari, Mail, Google maps, etc.). YouTube doesn't work out of the box, but that's to be expected. If you're not on AT&T you have to manually activate YouTube -- here's the guide on how to do that. (YouTube is the only app you have to activate like this.)
  
• We know, it's kind of crazy, but this isn't a hoax.
• No, sorry, you can't have our unlocked iPhone.

Restore / upgrade resistance

• The iPhoneSIMfree.com guys claim this method is restore (though not necessarily upgrade) resistant. We have no way of knowing whether Apple will be able to disable this SIM unlock with future iPhone software updates, but we can confirm that it is restore-resistant.
• We performed a full restore (v1.0.2) on our iPhone and successfully activated it using an inactive AT&T SIM.
• After fake-activating our iPhone, you merely pop out the AT&T SIM, put in the foreign SIM of your choosing, reactivate, and you're done. "Boom," as Steve might say.
  
• Restoring from an iPhone backup in iTunes worked perfectly despite the lock and foreign SIM. The only thing to notice was the phone number is now listed as "n/a" in iTunes. Big whoop.
  
• No, seriously. You can't have our unlocked iPhone.

Video
Before you get in a tizzy claiming it's a faked video, please note that:

• We show the T-Mobile SIM at the beginning and end.
• The video stream does get cropped toward the end. That's actually just a crop to make sure the phone number on the second iPhone isn't shown. No frames of the video stream were removed, it wasn't a cut.
• Just so you could be extra sure it's real, we even left in the GSM radio noise.
• Dude, you can unlock your own iPhone soon, ok? You can't have ours.

[MP4] Download in 720p HD (44MB)
[MP4] Download in wide VGA (14MB)
[AVI] Download in 720p HD (44MB)
[AVI] Download in wide VGA (14MB)

[Paul @ Aug 24th 2007 12:35PM]

Can the phone be unlocked *without* starting a contract from AT&T?

[Ryan Block @ Aug 24th 2007 12:38PM]

Yes, I confirmed this in the notes above.

[TikiScott @ Aug 24th 2007 12:38PM]

Sorry guys ... excuse my noob knowledge level re unlocked phones. But does this mean that I can buy an iPhone and NOT activate on AT&T, but rather just drop in an active T-Mobile SIM and start using immediately without ever setting up an AT&T acct? Thanks?

[TJ @ Aug 24th 2007 12:47PM]

For the most part, yes. You have to "fake" an ATT account, but you never really activate it. At that point, you should be able to take any GSM provided sim, slip it in, and go to town.

[Paul @ Aug 24th 2007 12:49PM]

check out the previous comment

[ZombieInvasion @ Aug 24th 2007 12:38PM]

So all the team at iPhoneSIMfree.com has to do is buy a few hundred iPhones. Unlock them, then turn around and sell them on eBay for like $599, $699 respectively. They will no doubt make a huge chunk of change, $100 dollar profit on each one. I know I'll be one of the 1st to buy one...

Being on T-Mobile, the one thing that stopped me from iPhone crazyness was AT&T's crappy service...

iPhone, here I come.

[erica @ Aug 24th 2007 2:02PM]

"Being on T-Mobile, the one thing that stopped me from iPhone crazyness was AT&T's crappy service...

iPhone, here I come."

No kidding!

[Hardcore @ Aug 24th 2007 12:38PM]

Let me be the first to say....PHOTOSHOPPED!





j/k

[Andrew H. @ Aug 24th 2007 3:27PM]

how do you photoshop a video?

[Hardcore @ Aug 24th 2007 12:54PM]

You don't have Photoshop Ultimate Edition Xtreme?

[JC @ Aug 24th 2007 12:38PM]

What about Visual Voicemail?

[sharkus @ Aug 24th 2007 1:41PM]

Further to my prior post, and having used my eyes this time round :D, it seems that it is possibly update resistant, at least up to the current update (1.0.2?). What would have been very handy is if they'd allowed two unlocks for Engadget. The first to a normally activated (as in using an AT&T contract) and fully updated iPhone, the second to a brand new, out of the box, non-activated, non-updated iPhone. Then they could have jailbroke the phone, upgraded it (re jailbreak if needed) and seen if it was still unlocked. This would, I feel, have been the test that the majority of people would want to have known.

[Aaron415 @ Aug 24th 2007 12:39PM]

who the hell cares tmobile sucks anyway

[cromas @ Aug 24th 2007 12:39PM]

What happens if someone sends you a MMS? Does it show up as an email?

Also, how are speeds on T-Mobile's EDGE compared to AT&T? ...and does T-Mobile even support EDGE yet, or is it just vanilla GPRS?

[Sardonic Bastard @ Aug 24th 2007 2:06PM]

T-Mobile has full EDGE support... and on top of that, they have data plans that include wifi. I am using one of those plans with my MDA. In this respect, the iPhone is actually better suited to be used on T-Mobile's network than AT&T!

[Chadwick @ Aug 24th 2007 12:41PM]

I was THIS CLOSE to selling the iPhone I had de-activated. As a T-Mobile customer, I couldn't be more happy.

[robert meza @ Nov 6th 2007 8:37PM]

so how did u unblock the sim card from at&t to t-mobile on a iphone.;.. cuz im trying alot of ways to do it

[pipper @ Aug 24th 2007 12:42PM]

Dear Engadget,

Wish you can test Edge network w/ iphone on T-mobile? In terms of speed and usability
(like getting emails from imap/pop3, and open non-port 80 websites?)

Thank you.

(My wish is: I can use t-zone 5.99 plan will allow me to browse internet at edge speed on iphone. Current have hacked my razr to run opera mini run on t-zone plan.)

[Aaron415 @ Aug 24th 2007 12:45PM]

who the hell cares tmobile sucks

[violajack @ Aug 24th 2007 12:46PM]

While this is insanely cool and all, it means that instead of working on a .1 update to add cool features to my iPhone, Apple will have to work on a ..1 update to undo this thing. This is just going to distract Apple from getting new features into an update for all of us who use the iPhone as intended.

[Mobilehavoc @ Aug 24th 2007 12:47PM]

WTF is up with Ryan's videos recently all have Veronica Belmont in them for phone calls, SMS, etc. In the video he even has her iPhone.

So either, a) he's obsessed with her, b) they're dating or c) he store her iPhone.

[Rob @ Aug 24th 2007 1:07PM]

Dude, where you've been? You need to keep up with the gossip here.
These two have been living together for some time.
They seem like cool people.

So yes, you're answers is "B"

[Mobilehavoc @ Aug 24th 2007 1:20PM]

@Rob,

Thanks...I guess I've been out of the tech gossip loop. Now it makes sense, good for them.

[Chris Wanja @ Aug 24th 2007 12:48PM]

I would just like to get this straight before I might go off and buy one.

You can install your TMobile SIM card, and get service, but how to do it unreleased yet?

[Iscariote @ Aug 24th 2007 12:49PM]

I bought an iPhone and switched from T-Mobile to AT&T fucking YESTERDAY. AAAAAARGH.

[Reader @ Aug 24th 2007 3:26PM]

Well you'll still get benefits that unlocked phones don't, such as updates and visual voice mail so don't feel too bad.

[stu @ Aug 24th 2007 12:49PM]

I agree that this hurts AT&T more than Apple. Most people are referencing why Apple would have inked an exclusive with AT&T, but I think AT&T had its own reasons. This hack probably undercuts most of those reasons. If I were AT&T, I would've put something in the contract with Apple that would have said "should the iPhone get hacked and become unlocked, Apple agrees to provide a firmware 'fix' within X days in order to restore exclusivity." If some kind of language like that isn't in the contract, AT&T is an idiot, not Apple. If the "firmware fix" isn't a technical possibility, AT&T better have negotiated some other solution, like a monetary solution, to ensure it doesn't lose mucho buckos because of something like this.

[ChrisG @ Aug 24th 2007 12:50PM]

cool!! whoever has a helio sim or vodaphone one is lucky because if they unlock their iPhone and put that sim in they might be the only iPhone users with 3G

[Jamar @ Aug 24th 2007 12:58PM]

Did you forget that the iPhone has no 3G? Or CDMA for that matter?

[Jorge Casanova @ Aug 24th 2007 1:01PM]

AT&T also has 3G PHONES, 3G has to do with the physical chip in the handset. You must work for those companies you mentioned.

[ChrisG @ Aug 24th 2007 2:01PM]

o yea sorry people i forgot about the no 3G lol but maybe edge would be faster with a Helio or Vodaphone sim.

[ChrisG @ Aug 24th 2007 2:02PM]

and no i dont work for vodaphone or helio, im just a kid lol

[Scott @ Aug 24th 2007 12:51PM]

Only took 8 weeks... cmon, I expect better from hackers...

But in all seriousness, nice work guys. This will only boost iPhone sales so I'm sure Apple won't be too displeased (internally at least).

[Zach @ Aug 24th 2007 12:52PM]

To bad Verizon doesn't use SIM cards :(

[Steel Froggy @ Aug 29th 2007 9:38PM]

That's exactly what I was thinking.... :(

Maybe I'll switch to T-Mobile just for that.. haha

[Anamorphy @ Aug 24th 2007 12:53PM]

iPHONES FOR SLOVAKIA (EASTERN EUROPE) YEEAAAAH xD

[jj @ Aug 24th 2007 12:54PM]

OG SHITE SON!!!!!!! I'm going to buffalo to get me an iPhone!

SCREW YOU ROGERS TELECOM!!!

[Hugues @ Aug 24th 2007 1:42PM]

In Belgium it is unlawful to sell phones locked with a carrier or only with a contract. Carrier can offer mobiles with contracts but a customer must be able to get the mobile alone.

[Chris Wanja @ Aug 24th 2007 12:57PM]

Also, as it reads, does that mean if you buy it and unlock it that you can not update it or what??

[J @ Aug 24th 2007 12:58PM]

Not so sure this will pass muster under everyone's favorite law, the DMCA. Sure looks like a ""circumvention of copyright controls" to me. And I bet AT&T will see it the same way (at least to hold on to their exclusivity as long as possible).

[glo @ Aug 24th 2007 1:41PM]

The DMCA offers protection of copyrighted intellectual property. Essentially designed as a new age set of counter-piracy measures to keep up with the digital age. No one's intellectual property is being stolen or even compromised here. What's happenening is consumers who paid 5 or 6 hundred dollars for a piece of hardware are now free to use it as they like. In fact, that would be considered "fair use" under the rights granted to someone for an item they obtained with legal considereation. Plus, though I don't know what the process is for actually buying an iPhone from Apple or at&t, I was under the impression you never signed the contract with at&t until you activated it at home. So theorhetically if you never actually activate it on at&t's network you never even signed a contract with them which gives them literally zero legal action they can take against you. People who buy the iPhone from a reseller are even more in the clear.

Basically this is no different from unlocking ANY phone. The biggest risk is probably updates bricking your hardware.

[John Bell @ Aug 24th 2007 5:53PM]

Unlocking your own iPhone is an exempted from the DMCA. It is perfectly legal to unlock your own cell phone.

[Richard @ Aug 24th 2007 12:59PM]

Nice, but
Question: Can you buy it without the 2 year plan?

[Rob @ Aug 24th 2007 1:20PM]

I thought that you were able to just buy the phone. Even the Apple store sells them.
So, I think the answer to your question is yes. Unless you walk into an ATT store, and they'll most likely tell you that you can't. But, the latter is from them, and not Apple.

Apple has just started to sell refurbished iPhones this week. So, anyone wanting one is in luck.

[SCC @ Aug 24th 2007 11:01PM]

You can get it without a contract. Whether you buy it from Apple or AT&T, you activate it (sign up for the contract or unlock it/fake activate it) at home using iTunes on your computer.

[G. Graham @ Aug 24th 2007 12:59PM]

Though the people working so hard for this breakthrough isn't trying to make a profit off of this, i know somebody out there will. i could see it on ebay now...

[Magallanes @ Aug 24th 2007 1:00PM]

a software unblock or you could say, a update can fix this hack.

[Mike Diesel @ Aug 24th 2007 1:02PM]

Sweeeeeeeet! Time to get an iPhone!! I hate AT&T.

[currentinterest @ Aug 24th 2007 1:05PM]

This will likely void the iPhone warranty. Can Apple detect the unlocking and no longer provide software updates leaving the owner stuck at whatever version was running when the unlock occurred? I'm on AT&T but this would be nice for international travel. I'm assuming sim cards can be exchanged.

[Lard @ Aug 24th 2007 1:05PM]

CANADA IS CHEERING.

Smack my ass and call me Judy, We weren't even on the Apple's Ijesus launch map, but now WHO CARES!. I am finally through making pretend calls in front of big titted blondes for them to think I am cool!.