AfterDawn: News

Teen unlocks iPhone from AT&T

A teenager has learned how to alter his iPhone to use it with networks other than AT&T Inc. He is not alone, many other solutions have been shown to work and several companies that specialize in mobile phone unlocking have taken up the challenge. George Hotz of Glen Rock, N.J. (17), spent his time well trying to figure out how to free his iPhone from AT&T, armed with a soldering iron. He posted the final working solution on his blog.

An Associated Press reporter verified that the iPhone was successful unlocked when he used his T-Mobile SIM card in the phone and made calls. However, the hack is complicated and requires skill with both soldering and software. In the wrong hands, the instructions will just lead to a dead iPhone. "But that's the simplest I could make them," Hotz said.



Engadget reported on Friday that it had successfully unlocked an iPhone using only software provided by an anonymous group of hackers. The iPhone has already been used with providers outside of the U.S. using a method known as the "SIM-chip method". All of the iPhones features are kept intact with the methods used. Since the details on the iPhone hacks are public, it is possible that Apple could modify the production lines to fight unlocking.

Source:
Yahoo (AP)

Written by: James Delahunty @ 26 Aug 2007 19:42

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• 5 comments

• Unfocused

  So much for exclusivity...

  29.8.2007 19:18 #1

• Steve83

  I'm going to build a really cool car, but you can only drive it using Citgo gas. Now, how many do you want?

  31.8.2007 06:05 #2

• borhan9

  Loving this.

  2.9.2007 13:52 #3

• nitrous3

  if the iPhone can be unlocked easily to the public is it possible to put a tmobile sim card in it that doesnt have the internet service so u can use the iPhone as a Phone and iPod and use the internet with the wifi?

  2.9.2007 15:59 #4

• phobet

  I, for one, think it's stupid for Apple to only allow their phones on the AT&T network. How can anyone justify spending $500 or more on a phone that is locked to one carrier. That's just insane! It reminds me of years ago, when Diamond Multi Media would not release the APIs for their graphic cards. X11 users could not use their cards efficiently, so they went with other brands (S3, Cirrus Logic. Ahh, the memories...).

  22.4.2008 22:29 #5