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Class Action Lawsuit Over iPhone Exclusivity Certified

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how is this different...

rarodrig26

Jul 10, 2010, 8:37 PM
from every other At&t or T-mobile phone that isn't unlocked by the manufacturer? I don't get why the iphone is being singled out, this is just how GSM phones work isn't? Other than the fact that Apple has a big target on them i don't get it.
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en102

Jul 10, 2010, 9:39 PM
I agree... I could have purchased an LG ENV2 or something similar from VZW and sued them because I couldn't take it and its functions directly to another carrier.

People 'could' actually unlock an iPhone and use it on T-Mobile or another mom-pop (Cinci Bell?) wirless. I personally would expect it to be thrown out.

If its 'an app' specific reason (i.e. this app is only on the iPhone), blame it on the application vendor - they can make apps for other devices, but chose not to.

As far as AT&T goes - Apple made the phone that supports GSM 850/900/1800/1900 + UMTS/HSPDPA 850/1900/2100. It happens that carriers in the USA do not support this technology - with the exception of T-Mobile, which ONLY supports GSM 1900 on the iPhone.
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Menno

Jul 11, 2010, 6:14 PM
you can't unlock the phone legally in the US. You have to buy it and import it from one of the few countries in the world that don't allow carrier locking
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Versed

Jul 11, 2010, 11:10 PM
Menno said:
you can't unlock the phone legally in the US. You have to buy it and import it from one of the few countries in the world that don't allow carrier locking


Well, there is no legality involved, but Apple will not give an unlock to a US iPhone. I'm sure AT&T has something to do with it. redsn0w unlocks and jailbreaks at the most are warranty voids.
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GeeksAreBest

Jul 12, 2010, 7:53 AM
Actually, if you cancel your AT&T account...as far as I'm aware, the policy changed and the unlock codes can be given out by customer care.
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Menno

Jul 12, 2010, 9:59 AM
Not with an iphone. The policy explicitly excludes the iphone.
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mangobeach

Jul 12, 2010, 3:19 PM
My only dislike with this issue. Is with AT&T & T-mobile, you can call them up to get your device unlocked to travel to Europe & Asia. So that you can purchase a Prepaid SIM card for that country.
You can do this on all phones but the I-phone. I go to Asia 3 to 4 times a year. I have used everything from Blackberry’s to phones w/ the droid applications.You can only use AT&T roaming services for this device. meaning Roaming charges that cost more than using pre paid services in that country. No matter what happens with this issue, I am willing to bet. That some changes will be made regarding unlocking these phones.(most likely on the early models of the i-phone.) but thats just wishful thinking.
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CellStudent

Jul 11, 2010, 12:58 AM
rarodrig26 said:
from every other At&t or T-mobile phone that isn't unlocked by the manufacturer? I don't get why the iphone is being singled out...

The difference is that the iPhone is the only GSM handset in the USA that CANNOT be issued a legitimate unlock code. Period. Never.

That's what's different.
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Slammer

Jul 11, 2010, 11:57 AM
The other point is that no other phone in the world runs this form of Apple's OS. It is indigenous to the Apple iphone and only one carrier in the States offers it. Android is spread across most carriers. Big difference here when it comes to consumers wanting another choice.

JB
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GeekBro

Jul 11, 2010, 2:16 PM
I phone one OS means that it is easier for programmers to right an app that they will not have issues with due to another Cell Phone Manufacturer changing the code slightly to meet their phones needs.

Plus an accessory manufacturer can make accessories that last more than 3 months. There are a lot of people outside of Apple and AT&T that are making money from the iTouch/iPhone market. Why do you think Microsoft has dominated for so long in the PC world. There is more stuff available for a PC than any other brand, just like there is more stuff available for the iTouch/iPhone than any other product in its category.
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Menno

Jul 11, 2010, 6:13 PM
you do know that PC's vary widely from maker to maker, right? Oh yes, the sofware is basically the same from model to model, but the cases vary widely, kind of like android. So that's a Bad example (again) on your part.

Not to mention that there is NOTHING preventing something made for Android 1.5 from working with a 2.x device unless the programmer was an idiot and tied it to specific code. or for windows, or palm, or blackberry. see, most code changes arn't ground up rewrites, so those little changes mean nothing to the typical developer.

Again, you make your code work with the WIFI and BLUETOOTH radios and have your equipment have a on device software app, and it doesn't matter about changes.

wired transmission is dying, an...
(continues)
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GeekBro

Jul 11, 2010, 6:43 PM
"Not to mention that there is NOTHING preventing something made for Android 1.5 from working with a 2.x device unless the programmer was an idiot and tied it to specific code. or for windows, or palm, or blackberry. see, most code changes arn't ground up rewrites, so those little changes mean nothing to the typical developer."

Microsoft's software is the same no matter what computer you put it on. Android is not the same on every device, if this was the truth, as soon as Google released a new version you could just upgrade. But no, you have to wait and see if the manufacturer of your device is going to release an update.

As far as bluetooth is concerned, there is not a unified standard on that either. Phones come with 1.5 thru 2.1, ...
(continues)
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Menno

Jul 11, 2010, 7:04 PM
Oh really? Then CD's would still be king, because digital media is "confusing" it's a lot "easier" to buy a physical CD/Tape and use that than to be bothered with Digital content, and yet digital content took off. See, it's this thing called change. It's kind of a big deal. You know, kinda like how Apple came into the market and made a consumer focused media smartphone, even though this was totally different than what anyone did before. People still adopted it.

It's also drop dead simple pairing a phone to a car. Most decent systems with aubibly talk you through it. As the concept becomes more standard, it, like digital media, will become the norm and you won't think anything more of synching your phone wirelessly to your home net...
(continues)
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en102

Jul 11, 2010, 5:42 PM
Anyone can purchse an unlocked iPhone (yes, they are for sale!), also, even Sprint promotes iPod + MiFi
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GeekBro

Jul 11, 2010, 6:48 PM
He is correct, you can buy one from Newegg right now and start using it with TMobile with no contract.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E ... »

People forget these phones are heavily subsidized with a contract, AT&T needs some way of getting there money back. When you buy the phone, Apple gets there money instantly, AT&T has to wait 6 months to 2 years depending on your service plan to recoup the money they spent on the phone.
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Menno

Jul 11, 2010, 7:19 PM
but you can't take your device you bought ON CONTRACT and have it unlocked once your two years are up.

It's the ONLY phone that does this. So even after you complete your two years, even after att got all their money back, they STILL own your phone.

And this isn't like CDMA where this is the rule, we're talking GSM where totally locked phones are the exception.

Heck, even Verizon GSM roaming phones are easy to unlock. The only requirement is that you have an active verizon line, you call tech support and they give you the code, no hassle, no cost.
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Versed

Jul 11, 2010, 11:15 PM
Right Menno, and also include all but the iPhone of AT&T, they will issue an unlock for the asking for a customer in good standing for 90 days. And if even the iPhone is a special case, after 2 year or some decided period of time, AT&T should be the request to Apple for those who wish, to have their iPhone unlocked, such as it is done in other countries.
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RockTripod

Jul 11, 2010, 2:00 PM
Simple. You can have virtually any other GSM phone unlocked upon request by the carrier. No such luck with the iPhone.
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Menno

Jul 11, 2010, 4:01 PM
itunes was the first platform to really push apps and media this way to the public, where your purchase would follow you as long as you kept the same OS.

Since iOS is only on one carrier, the customers with hundreds invested in apps would have to "lose" all that data if they went to a different OS.

I don't think the lawsuit has merit, but that's why it's different.

Blackberry, WINMO, and Android all have devices across multiple platforms.
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Versed

Jul 11, 2010, 11:16 PM
Then again and I hope so, this may change this coming January.
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Menno

Jul 12, 2010, 12:05 AM
It's not coming in January, you know that
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