iPhone 4 carrier unlock teased, not released just yet (update: video)
By Chris Ziegler 
posted July 13th 2010 9:37PM
posted July 13th 2010 9:37PM
[Thanks, Brad]
Update: Numerous readers have written in to remind us that the above image isn't proof of an unlock, since an AT&T iPhone can roam on Bell. True -- but considering how this is coming straight from an iPhone Dev Team member, we're going to stay optimistic.
Update 2: Planetbeing has uploaded a video of the carrier unlock (embedded after the break), but he confesses that the existing build "sucks." A cleaned up version should be ready for mass consumption shortly, though. [Thanks, all!]
This should take care of that pesky reception issue that is clearly AT&T's fault.
/sarcasm
@bighap
Sarcasm Fail.
@bighap
Or you can just wait for the official launch and get the officially unlocked device (to save your warranty).
@bighap
Kinda tired of all these Apple shenanigans.
God bless the Dev Team nontheless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD-0pqZg
@afinite The device is undetectably restored to factory state when you restore. Warranty is not a problem.
@Kurian
Actually this is untrue. Apple looks for jb using the ios, if found it places a few files in an area not overwritten by restore. This is known.
@bighap
Well, what I do know is that thing thing is going to be a BEAST on Bell's network... Way faster than any network in the US including Sprint's '4G' network.
@afinite
I laughed my ass off, when reading your post.
I somehow stopped at "Or you can just wait for the official launch" and already was laughing to getting belly cramps.
I read that as " you should wait for the official iphone 4 launch" as if the 2 million + sold were not the official one yet. seeing the issues it has.
@bighap Indeed, now people without at&t can experience the joy of not being able to make phone calls with iPhone 4!
@Zaeed
Hmm, i watched this the other day and never realized that particular reference was relating to the iPhone 4. Thought it was the Brazilian race car dude..
@D1Only1
I don't think the offical _Canadian_ launch has happened yet.
@bighap one thing it won't take care of is the truth that those of us who are quite happy with our iPhone 4's obviously have been duped by the ultimate duper of dupes, Steve "Duper" Jobs. Damn. I am *so* the fool.
@TWiz This is not true. I return my first iPhone 3G because of hardware problems and I unlock and jailbrake my phone many times. Same with my iPhone 3GS. I just got a new iPhone 3GS because of the volume bottun was stuck and it was unluck I restore it and took it back to apple store. They gave me a new one no questions ask ......
@Simon Seize
The official Canadian launch of iPhone 4 hasn't happened yet but there are tons of iPhone 4's here already. A couple days ago I was at the mall and saw at least 6 people with one, I even asked one guy to see it just to confirm.
However, people are completely buzzing about buying directly from Apple due to them being unlocked, which is a huge plus.
@Plazmic Flame
EVO 4G drops SIGNAL BARS TOO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaiRxRybK9E
@bighap
Samsung Galaxy S Signal Drop Issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LROTHrTR92k
Nexus One Signal Drop Issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIA_lMwqJA
HTC EVO 4G Signal Drop Issue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaiRxRybK9E
Iphone 4 Signal Drop Issue we all know cause we have all seen and plus i cant add more than 3 urls..
@afinite except that you have about as much risk to void your warranty when you unlock than you do to brick your phone. (hint it's zero)
@KungFuHamster Dude, seriously, do some f-king research. Your ignorance, along with your many hating droidboys, really makes endgaget crappy.
@Hell Angel QQ
@afinite Why does everyone believe everything apple says! The jailbreak and unlock is not permanent! You can restore it. And apple will never know. It kills me when people say they wont jb or unlock because they want to keep their warranty. If you dont want to then just say you dont want to but quit using that excuse.
@Darkroom While I'm not happy to get a new contract with Bell, I think it's worth it to own an iPhone 4. I can't wait until it comes out here...HURRY UP BELL
@KungFuHamster You antenna jokes are sounding like some amateur comedy show, you hear the same jokes over and over.
@Hell Angel
I just watched the EVO's but I won't watch the others since that sole video was lame. Seriously....ALL phones have sensitive areas. My nokia phone has an area which if blocked by a hand the bars will disappear. It is so friggin OBVIOUS. BUT when you design a phone you make sure the user won't touch those areas during normal operation. And I don't touch the antenna of my phone while talking because it is in an awkward place.
@Mikeserena Judges? I am sorry Mike, but the judges have ruled that Apple antenna jokes are still funny. Better luck next time.
@NikAmi
Without the jokes, you are doing it wrong.
@Bob the Terrorist
Have you looked into Virgin or Telus? I've been looking at them since they all use Bell's network, but offer more options, call display etc than Bell does for the same price.
@bighap Asians....
Less bars on more carriers.
@ss Pounder
LOL!
you witty bastard!
@ss Pounder
Cause only iPhone 4 has reception issues... oh wait!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LROTHrTR92k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVNq8wWIBLk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIA_lMwqJA
@Psarrism We never said that other phones don't have reception issues, we're just saying as such a hyped and popular phone we were just expecting something like this not to happen.
Get lost Android fanboy!
@Psarrism The Forward paragraph from the second video:
"I have published this video, not to show you that the Samsung Galaxy S has any signal problem (like the iPhone 4), but to show you that all mobile phones are susceptible to fluctuations in signal strength."
@Psarrism Completely Agree, this happens to so many phones, but people only make a big deal, and hype, about the iPhone
@Psarrism
It's the only one with SUCH reception issues which consumer reports just verified.
@pishmish
Because it's more severe. Consumer reports just verified this using other competing phones. I own an iPhone 4, but I'm not so blinded by idiocy that I try to generalize results to make me feel better about my purchase.
@pishmish i am an iPhone 4 user (ive mentioned before that the apparent problem hasn't had an effect on me so im speaking from an elevated perspective) . i agree that this issue is as hyped up as the phone itself and other devices may suffer the same fate as the iPhone 4.
but the issue is for one, and this is a huge issue, is how the company is reacting towards this issue. it is there, wether 20% of users are effected or 80%. they are trying to absolve them selfs from any responsibility of this being a problem that starts with the device itself.
not the user (holding it wrong), not the carrier and crappy 3g areas but Apple not coming out and saying, "Hey, you know what? we have confirmed with everyone else that the antenna has a flaw and we will are currently trying to mitigate this problem as soon as possible".
but they are, like i've quoted before from a past comment, covering their ears and screaming "I CANT HEAR YOU! BLAH BLAH BLAH, YADDA YADDA!".
i understand how embarrassing this is for Apple, especially after Jobs claims this new antenna set up is phenomenal. this is the pink elephant in the room for Apple and sooner or later they're going to have to acknowledge it and work on implementing a solution.
@TWiz i've had my iphone 4 for a lil bit now and while i will not deny that there is obviously a well publicized reception problem. i personally have yet to experience it. i've even tried. not saying it won't happen. what i am saying is that its nowhere near a big of deal as its been made out to be. my ip4 has not only had better call quality, its managed to hang on to calls in known deadzones that my last iphone always dropped.
@audrywienerdog there's another possibility, though, and that is the 99% of iPhone 4 users are very happy with their phone. Neither of us know what the number is, so my number is just as good as yours. You certainly can't base it on the discussions here (which seem to be 99% from people without an iPhone at all, any kind), nor about slashdot where people get modded down as "Troll" for posting that their experience in day to day use doesn't match up with CU's report.
@Psarrism Can it happen with ONE finger, I don't think so.
@cruncis No your numbers aren't just as substantiated. I don't feel the need to clarify on that one, common sense should prevail.
@strudopi
http://mobileanalyst.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/iphone-4-report-consumer-reports-study-is-full-of-crap/
"I have not seen (update: i have seen the full video since yesterday afternoon) CR’s claim directly that the finger effect reduces the iPhones sensitivity by 20db as reported elsewhere, but unless CR connected to a functional point inside the iPhone that number is fantasy. Even the way they seem to have tested the change – by varying the base station simulator levels – seems to assume the iPhone receiver and/or transmitter operate in a linear fashion (the same way) across all signal strengths – bad assumption.
Bottom line. From what I can see in the reports, Consumer Reports replicated the same uncontrolled, unscientific experiments that many of the blogging sites have done."
@tricheboars LMAO When you replied to ss Pounder it read Ass Pounder although it's @ss but still it's funny as shit
@audrywienerdog
I completely agree with you. I've had a few issues with mine, and I hoping they are working on a solution.
I think they are keeping their solution under wraps, while rumors flood the interwebs, until a guy walks into a bar. Then claim it's a magical solution! haha
No engadget app?
@thaprinze that app is crap, it's better to use the Safari app to read Engadget
@pple is poo mobile safari is so fraeken terrible its not funny. i have opera on my desktop, and on my android. it gets pretty much most web pages with TEXT wrong. like, say you have text at the top for links (www.peopleofwalmart.com for example) on opera mini, they will display jumbled up and squished.
forums on opera mini? sure hope you like reading most of them when they are scattered everywhere.
and dont get me started on the redirect errors you get alot becuase opera mini uses THERE servers to process the website.
@Darkroom you're a special kind of idiot, aren't you?
What is a carrier unlock good for if it can't connect to the carrier's network?
@loocas
ummmm what?