Apple iPhone (news, info, general chat)

Fasthenry, does that mean that you can use your own pay as you go sim card, and you're not locked into a contract?

- Link

The operators need to be able to block stolen phones. Which they do by recording the IMEI every time the phone registers with a base station. If Apple are doing that as well, where's the problem?

Normally you know what you're talking about, but seriously, you gotta stop saying this. It's just plain untrue. They will NOT charge you for data on the T-Mobile contract. They will slow you down but the amount you can download is unlimited. It states that clearly on their site.


Translated:

Valid only for use within the national T-Mobile network and German hotspots run by Telcom or T-Mobile. After a data volume of 200MB (Complete M), 1GB (Complete L) or 5GB (Complete XL) per month a restriction will be put on your connection for the rest of the month of 64bit/s (Download) and 16kbit/s (Upload).

At this speed, the most you could download per month on the Complete M plan is about 20 gig.

Really? All I've ever seen from Darkknight with regard to Apple things has been unhelpful at best and usually untrue. I also don't see him rush to correct his mistakes...

Like this for instance. Apple does not send IMEI information:

So what if they are?

Every time you make a phone call the network operator knows which phone the call came from and approximately where it is located.

Quick, get the aluminium foil!

Yes currently Im using it with my cheap as chips simply pre-pay card, using wifi for free data downloads.
Even have skype running through IM+ Skype.
DO NOT sign up for a German t-mobile or UK O2 deal its a fuckin rip off, get yourself an unlocked yankee one.

Aside from costing less... these are identical correct? You can also just buy a German one and unlock it too, right? I am not familiar with the German purchasing process, so perhaps after all the US unlocking they changed it to where you have to get a contract.

So do you have to get a contract to buy one, or can you also unlock a German purchased phone?

Surely the unlocked version aint the "official" route so we leave ourselves kinda open to possible software problems and fuck-ups in future? Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't normally have an issue, and my phone is NOT my #1 business tool, but it will be sods law that when I am lost up a mountain, my Iphone needs a reboot and everything goes Pete Tong. Same reason I only run kosher software these days - its just easier than looking over yer shoulder for nightmares.

Correct.. Unlocking isn’t “official� … yet. Apple will be selling phones in France, which requires phones to be unlockable. Once this happens, it seems like the floodgates will be open and anyphone can be unlocked in an official way.

Currently, the danger is always that a software update is incompatible with an unlocked (and jailbroken) phone and causes issues. So I would always wait until the hackers tear apart an update before using it. After unlocking becomes official, it will not be an issue.

Basically, by this spring life will get much more easy for iPhone users, as 3rd party apps and unlocking should be available in an official manner.

you have the choice to update or not in itunes, if you dont press the button then you dont have a problem, simple really. Wait for any new firmwares to be tested and then hacked, no biggie.
As for buying one without a contract in germany or uk forget it, they wont let you leave the shop without signing your life away.

Have to say though it is a pain in the arse using the phone in public as every fucker notices and wants a look, plus your girlfriend/wife will want you to buy them one for crimbo.
It is very posey which is a bit sad so i tend to use it with the headphones for calls now. Will have to get a case to try and hide it a bit.
Oh yeah and you will get many german know-it-all type fuckers who will argue with you till blue in the face about how its lacking everything a nokia n95 has, and that its american overpriced crap etc bla, bla, bla, except how great the screen is because that was developed by a german company, wankers.

That really sucks. Does that go for official Apple stores too? I could 'understand' the providers doing this, but typically the Apple store (again, in the US) allow only purchasing.


That's what you're paying for

hey fasthenry - do you know where I can get one in Augsburg?

Wow 6 months in the country and I finally agree with the german know-it-all fuckers.

no idea but would suggest ebay.com as they are going north of 900euro here now.
If anyone fancies sponsering me to fly to the states for a weekender i would bring a suitcase full back.

O2 and Apple just sell you the phone in England - you go home, plug it into iTunes and then do all the contract registration shit from your own PC/Mac at home. I was very surprised, but it worked very well - got the phone home on Sunday night at about 8 or 9 - downloaded the latest iTunes, spent about 15 minutes setting it all up via a pretty simple interface through iTunes and when I woke up on Monday morning my old phone was dead and the iPhone was activated and ready to use with my old number. I was, however, already an O2 customer - if you want to change networks you'll need to get PAC codes and all that shit.

Also please note that not all headphones will fit it - the plug is recessed slightly so some won't quite go in. Which leads me to my next question - what headphones should I buy? I've been looking at Bose and Shure so far (I want 'in-the-ear' ones btw).

wait till its 6 years mate, thats why im off, they do my swede in

Actually I am 4 years in and also starting to hatch escape plans. It's nice and that but...hmmmm.

So its possible in the UK to go into the apple store a buy a iphone without signing anything.
Bloody hell whats stopping me buying it then just unlocking without ever signing to O2 then?

Yep - same with apple shops. Walk in, pay, walk out. 2 minute job.

Are you sure about that Jim? When you buy the iPhone are you not signing the contract at that point?

Yep - you don't sign a damn thing. The contract is agreed when you plug the phone in and give your details.

doesnt look like its able to unlock a uk iphone yet though so its pretty much useless if you dont want to agree to the contract, give it time though.

There seems to be a bit of misunderstanding of the current situation. As it stands, right now you cannot unlock a UK out-of-the-box 1.1.2 iPhone - even though AnySIM 1.2 has been released for the 1.1.2 software. The reason for this is that Apple have updated a part of the baseband firmware (the bootloader) and the current tools, such as AnySIM and iEraser, don't interact properly with this new bootloader and are unable to patch the modem firmware as of yet. iPhoneSimFree also does not work because it relies on modifying the bootloader to unlock the phone.

However, you can update a US iPhone that has been updated to the new 1.1.2 modem firmware. This is because the update doesn't seem to upgrade the bootloader, and so the new AnySIM 1.2 will work. I don't know about IPSF in this case though.

Ok, this is pretty funny...

iPhone Equipped Passenger Takes On Flight Crew Over Weather

If Apple allowed you to install 3rd party applications the PAX in question could probably have done all of that. Damn you Apple!

Yep you certainly can, ITV interviewed the guy who was unlocking them as they came out of the store on launch day.

Heres a clip of the N95 v iphone. BBC

I have just been reading some comments about this phone & someone said that you can't hold it to your ear for a phone call, just use the speakerphone or headset!! Is that correct?

Bollocks. You hold it to your ear.

apparently it is possible to unlock them but you cant use other sim cards for calling, doesnt sound that great then.

- Link

This ranks pretty low on my believability list... especially due to the lawsuit thing.


Especially this part. Statements like this always come from nerds who think they know the law... like it is some computer program that must be literally interpreted. "Damn, you're right, the contract does say iPhone, I guess we can't do anything about the 'iPhone 3G' "

Absolutely - kind of depends on the definition of the word 'iPhone' which will 100% be in the preamble and 99.99% cover all versions of the phone no matter whether 3G or otherwise. As you say - law nerds should stick to law, and computer nerds should stick to computers.

was talking about specific european iphones on firmware 1.1.2 not being able to be used with other carriers when unlocked.

- Link

Looks like Vodafone might have to wait for their 3G sets, and that Telefonica might be the carrier for the iPhone in Spain.

Right. I just had a rather predictable experience. I rang up the Telekom shop in Augsburg and said "Have you got these in stock?" and they said "Yeah" so I scooted down. I also took a copy of my Vodafone bill and the form printed from their website for the changeover. (obviously I couldn't actually see an iPhone cos the display units were being fucked about with by the shop assistants and some 9 year olds).

I walk up to the counter and say nicely "Hi, I'd like an iPhone but only if it's gonna be stress free and not take too long..."

"Sure thing" says my man in the shop "Hand over €1,000 or come back in 4 months time".

No really. I am not kidding.

Basically they got instructions THIS MORNING that they can now offer to sell the iPhone for €1,000 with no contract, and we can assume this is a direct response to the legal case.

If I want to keep my phone number (which of course I do), I must wait 4 frigging months for the changeover!! 4 months!! He did say I could also go to the Vodafone shop to discuss/negotiate and maybe get this down to a few weeks if I was lucky etc.

Now clearly I don't need an iPhone, 'cos no-one NEEDS an iPhone but I was in a shop ready to hand over some cash but now it ain't gonna happen. I only go to shops once or twice a year if under major pressure or with a major desire etc, so that is pretty much it for another 6-12 months unless I can purchase sucessfully online.

Someone, somewhere is making a right fuck up of this. I assume Apple for being greedy buggers and not just making their clacking phone available to everyone. So fuck 'em. I don't want one now. They can send me one free and I don't want it anymore. I shall now look for something nicer in the Vodafone shop...one day.

Interesting, it seems that you can still order them online, though you may get a message back after you've completed everything to say...ooops sorry, I didn't get that far.

You can order online - but that is never gone sort my "change phone number" issue with Vodafone thus making the whole thing an unworkable joke.

Which kinda leads me to assume they are hopeing either:

1. The phones will be purchased by 1st time users - yeah right!!!

2. People will actually switch physical phone numbers and tell all their private and business contacts - bugger that.

3. People will use 2 phones whilst they await the 4 month switchover.

All of the above sound crazy to me unless I am missing the obvious?

Don't all the mobile contracts here have a 3-month window where you must cancel your contract or it will be automatically renewed for 12 months and you have to wait for the next 3-month window to cancel. This could be where the 4 month issue comes up. I had a similar problem changing providers before, lots of paperwork and bureaucracy left me without any phone for about 3 weeks while I was changing providers! It's a ridiculous system they have here. In Ireland I can walk into an O2 shop and say I want to change over from Vodofone and they can do it there and then in 20 mins and then ask me at what time I would like the changeover to happen!

T-Mobile has confirmed that you can now buy an unlocked iPhone without contract for 1000 Eur.

Customers who have already bought an iPhone with contract, can take them into a T-Mobile store and get them unlocked for free.

However the court issued injunction against iPhone sales in Germany will be followed until the issue is cleared by the courts.

Link to Press Release

Read this is the IHT today:

999€ is clearly too expensive, however it was expected.. if they have to sell it without the contract, then it's going to cost. A iPod touch is around 300€. 700€ more for the GSM chip inside is too much.

And remember in the US they sell for $399 without contract or around 270 Eur at current exchange rates...
So to get an Unlocked EU iPhone its going to cost you 800 Eur more than it really should.

With that said, I'd atleast wait for the new 3G enabled models in 2008... (More bang for buck)
Or buy your iPhones in the US.

All this crap surrounding the iPod and their monopolistic, rip off ideas are bullshit. The iPhone itself is freaking excellent, but Apple are clearly pricks, trying to control and screw customers at every turn.

I agree - they are making this whole thing look like a complete fuck up and showing themselves and the telekom providers up as just plain greedy. All corporations/businesses are out to make a profit but having it rammed down our throats is just bad marketing.

Like walking up to a chick in the bar and asking for a shag. You might want a shag, and she might want to shag you - but it's considered polite to go through the whole gin-&-tonic-waddya-do-for-a-job routine before getting your knob out.

It's not possible to buy officially unlocked iPhones in the US so the comparison is invalid. Unlocked US phones have been hacked.

OK, then do you think the hack is still worth 800 Eur? The hack works upto the current FW 1.1.2 (If upgraded to, but not out of the box with 1.1.2)
so whats the prob.? 270 Eur is still a much better price than 1000 Eur. If you screw-up the phone during hacking you can still buy 2 more phones
and try again, and still be under 1k Eur. Chances are that any bricked phones could be made usable again in the future..

In the end its still the same hardware, only the software has be slightly modified. The cost of those hardware parts is still the same between
all the iPhones (US/Germany/FrencehEtc)

Depends how much signing up for the contract would work out to. If it's less than 730 EUR then it's cheaper to have the unlocked phone. European mobile phone users are not used to paying up front for phones though.

You miss out on the sequential voicemail if you use another network as far as I understand. That might be a factor for some people.

Hacked phones are a gamble: I doubt Apple would go to the trouble of writing code to knacker them but a software update could break them same as it did last time.