Duane wrote:
Ian Darwin wrote:
I agree, but this is exactly what Apple/AT&T are trying to prevent you
from doing with the iPhone, by attaching a binding entity called a
"contract" to every iPhone that is sold.
The whole apple/att/iphone situation never made any sense to me, if they
were serious about this they would have signed you up for an AT&T
contract at the same time.
The only way it makes sense to me, is if you think Apple, which bound by
contracts etc to AT&T still wants to make money selling devices and the
whole bricking thing is just them doing "something" to appear to care.
Right now in the US the only way to buy an iPhone is in conjunction with
an AT&T contract (2yr min). Apple has done this since they are both
selling the phone for a premium (well non subsidized) and receiving an
ongoing share in the revenue AT&T receives from these contracts, since
there was no cost recover required. My understanding is that Apple got a
very sweet deal from AT&T, and in return AT&T got a 5 year exclusive deal.
The debate in the US is multi facited. One issue is the unlocking, which
is technically legal under the Digital Millinium Act, but by doing it
does not relieve you of your obligations to the 2 year contract even if
you don't use it. Secondly is that as soon as you do it, you have
breached the conditions of the contract under which the phone was
aquired, and thereby voiding your warrantee and any support. The
bricking is occurring to people who, have unlocked thier phone but not
turned off the software updating, which under the terms of the contract
Apple/AT&T are to do to keep your phone up to date and patched. The
sneaky bit though is them causing the bricking.
The other squable is that no third party apps are to be installed on the
phone, since Apple wants to control the delivery of content and ensure
htey and ATT are not cut out of the loop. Now, this is no different then
buying any other phone from say a Bell, where you have to buy your
ringtones, etc from them. It's just getting alot more press due to the
bricking.
As far as I'm concerned I feel the same today as I did the day it
launched. Cool interface, but won't touch it with a ten foot pool due to
the way they're locked it down, lock you to a carrier and are keeping
third party apps locked out. Also I've heard a few complaints on battery
life and the touch screen going flakey. Too many new components, maybe
consider the next generation. That is if it isn't so locked down and
after all the squabbling is over. Nah, wait for an OpenMoko phone.
My 2 cents
I guess this sort of thing worked for MS in the past, allow everyone to
copy your OS until it owns 90+ % of the market then go sue everyone into
compliance, cept apple won't get that kind of market share with all the
heavy weights already in place, and all the non-sense restrictions they
have in place.
It's too surreal to be even bizarre, does Apple have a clue about the
phone market or even a grasp on the world/reality beyond the ipod?
Then there was the whole price drop thing ticking off the early
adopters, you'd have to think twice about lining up for another Apple
product ever again and Apple should really send something special to
make up for it to those people.
--
Mike Ashton
Quality Track Intl
Ph: 647-722-2092 x 301
Cell: 416-527-4995
Fax: 416-352-6043
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