UniquePhones indefinitely delays release of iPhone SIM unlock software
By Ryan Block 
posted August 25th 2007 3:57PM
posted August 25th 2007 3:57PM
So, as you may have seen, earlier this morning at 3AM local time UniquePhones (the team behind iPhoneUnlocking.com, who've claimed to have the second proper iPhone SIM unlock software hack) got a threatening call from AT&T's legal team urging them to not release their software -- or else. Now, we can understand why any smallish business wouldn't exactly want lawyers repping AT&T (and Apple) breathing down their necks for a potentially market-shifting discovery -- which is why the company is now officially holding the release of their SIM unlock solution indefinitely while they assess their legal position. Fair enough, but we still haven't even had a chance to verify their solution does unlock iPhones.However, the interesting (and possibly telling) bit comes up at the end of their release, where apparently UniquePhones is "evaluating what to eventually do with the software should they be legally denied the right to sell it." Here's to hoping that, should UniquePhones not find themselves able to actually sell their software, at very least the unlock method they've discovered gets opened up to the public. After all, there's no reason why everyone shouldn't be able benefit from this knowledge just because one company isn't able to sell it, right?
Well it was kinda evident that this would happen after all, they are selling the software and just like yesterdays article about the legality over unlocking noted, if the unlocking of the device includes gaining profit, such as selling unlocked iPhones, you can get sued. The only way the can release the unlocking software legally is if it's done so freely and I doubt this company would do it because they are known for making profits from unlocking services for other phones. If they decided not to release the software you'll have to support the iPhone dev team and hope they succeed in providing their solution for free.
Aren't all cease and desist orders sent via mail or in some other tangible document? I'm calling bulls**t.
DMCA notifications can come as emails... my friend runs osx86project.org (that was the main site when this happened), and I remember him showing us all an email he received after someone linked from his site to some... questionable software.
DMCA wouldn't apply outside the U.S. anyway
I think this a scam as well
UniquePhones is a scam of a business.
I don't believe they have a real product and caution anyone to think long and hard prior to doing business with them.
Surprise surprise
Damn you AT&T!!!!!
I think Jeff Schrader is soon to be in over his head
Does anyone think that att will go after tmobile for allowing people to use the iphone on their service. Also I honestly dont think it matters what the law says att is already good friends with the govt anyways if anyone recalls the info sharing. Bottom line att spent a lot of money they wont let this slide easily and apple is benefiting from att . But like i said before i think att will try to stop tmobile. Anyone think they can or know if they can
I don't see how they can stop T-Mobile from supporting the iPhone.
It's not like the iPhone uses any magical new technology that's
proprietary to AT&T(save for that voice mail thing, which doesn't
work with the T-Mobile service). Other than that, it's just standard
protocols that the phone uses. Now, if T-Mobile started selling unlocked phones or an unlock service, THEN AT&T could probably do something.
wait i thought it was legal to unlock phones whats the case aginst then
Just found this on AOL of the guy in NJ who unlocked the IPhone, the AP guy indicates the legality of unlocking your Iphone and how ATT and Apple have no comment in regards to this hack.
webpage was updated.. does it mean anything?
Sorry but these guys are dumb as f*ck. They couldn't resist showing of their stuff before they actually did some legal exploration. They should have kept their mouth shut until the release.. after it has spread AT&T couldn't do sh*t. Only decent thing they can do now is to release it GPL.. freeware. And describe it as 'for educational purposes' only.
Come on guys.. be a man. You wanted the fame, you've got it. You're not going to get the cash so man up and release that sucker into the wild and release mayhem.
It seems to me that all this story with second unlock, is just a way of getting hold of a nice sum of money, where UP may hansomely profot from the interest alone.
This is definitely a scam. They just built themselves a nice databank of IMEI numbers and owner names of at least half a million iPhones, without any credibility of a legitimate firm. The fact that the do not even mention the law firm name, so even the lawsuit threat cannot be verified, is a definite sign of a scam.
Nice going, engadget, you've made their life a whole lot easier.
This is BS, i was so happy that i could finally use an IPhone here in Thailand with my Orange subscription, guess i have to forgo this and get myself an n95. Thanks alot AT&T you really are fucking up alot of peoples lives. Well not really...
The reason they are not selling because it is illegal but a person is allowed to unlock the phone but not sell it.
T-mobile may be getting a iPhone europe contract, do you think they would want their US division to screw up that contract in Europe. Point is all this will be verified shortly, considering if it is unlocked all the Europeon iPhone deals will fall through come Monday. More to the fact, if it stays unlocked, AT&T can probally block sales on their exclusive phones in the US... This whole deal could be a iPhone killer
Just thinking about something... if they had a lot of valid IMEI number, maybe it allow them to crack the unlock codes with it?
I mean, I know you can make CD key generator from a bunch of CD key... I dono how IMEI and unlock code works, but it's probably possible... it's probably a matter of how much IMEI they need...
well, just a guess...
Release it!
They are using the IMEI codes to one I believe have a database but two to control which phones they unlock so as no freebies are giving away...
this really sucks
Just use the linux on the iPhone and you are a free person, see more details at http://zonow.com/78
ry'n i'm dy'n....
These people did not receive any phone call.
They are lying.
They do not know how to do anything.
I can't believe everyone is so gullable and believes everything these people say.
If you have to unlock your iphone you are going to have to use the solder method.
Does the Library of Congress approval for a copyright exemption that allows consumers to legally unlock their mobile phone to change to a competing carrier affect these attempts to unlock the iPhone?