It's more than a phone; so-called unlocking only affects part of its features. Using it on another carrier amounts to a lobotomized device.
It is too bad that engadget is over-run by spoiled brats who think the whole universe should be their way. The iPhone is sold with a back end provided by a specific carrier. That's the way it is; that's the way it will be. Deal with it, kiddies.
@conscience: You are really living in a US cell phone providers PR dream aren't you?
The iPhone is a GSM phone like any other GSM phone. The whole point is that you are able to switch the SIM and have everything working the same as before. In Europe that crap about a phone tied to a provider doesn't fly. People know that they can be unlocked or that they can switch the SIM.
The only feature that's carrier specific is the Visual Voicemail. If you ca live without that, then you can run it on any network.
The only reason for Apple to lock these things to a carrier is their business model (nothing to do with making things simpler for the customer, as they'd have it). Apple are taking between 10 and 40% (if you believe the rumours about O2 in the UK) of customer revenue for each iPhone user. Obviously, if Apple have no agreement with the other carriers, Apple will get ongoing revenue from the iPhones. Hence their desire to 'break' the unlocking each time they update the firmware.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
So many different carriers around the globe with the iPhone, you figure they would just sell the thing unlocked sooner or later.
It's more than a phone; so-called unlocking only affects part of its features. Using it on another carrier amounts to a lobotomized device.
It is too bad that engadget is over-run by spoiled brats who think the whole universe should be their way. The iPhone is sold with a back end provided by a specific carrier. That's the way it is; that's the way it will be. Deal with it, kiddies.
@conscience: You are really living in a US cell phone providers PR dream aren't you?
The iPhone is a GSM phone like any other GSM phone. The whole point is that you are able to switch the SIM and have everything working the same as before. In Europe that crap about a phone tied to a provider doesn't fly. People know that they can be unlocked or that they can switch the SIM.
@conscience
The only feature that's carrier specific is the Visual Voicemail. If you ca live without that, then you can run it on any network.
The only reason for Apple to lock these things to a carrier is their business model (nothing to do with making things simpler for the customer, as they'd have it). Apple are taking between 10 and 40% (if you believe the rumours about O2 in the UK) of customer revenue for each iPhone user. Obviously, if Apple have no agreement with the other carriers, Apple will get ongoing revenue from the iPhones. Hence their desire to 'break' the unlocking each time they update the firmware.