Misha: I do take offense at your generalizations about expats in your return message to me and its implications. My simple response to your initial message about iPhones was to correct your erroneous message to the expat list and the implication it contained.
You used the word ³illegal² - this implies a criminal act and hacking the iphone is not a criminal act. It may, in some cases (and only if some cases) breach a contract with the seller of the iphone in another country. With respect to the pre-G3 iPhones that were brought to Russia, these iPhones were sold without a phone contract in the US and it was not until the G3 phone was released that a phone service contract became necessary. Any person could buy a pre-G3 phone at a US iPhone store. If they needed phone service they then signed up online with AT&T though there was no requirement that they do so. In this way Apple sold millions of phones to Russia and China, essentially with the help of hackers. With respect to G3 phones, they were sold with a contract in the US, but it is cheaper to buy a new phone in Russia (22,000 rubles) than a locked phone with a contract in the US (about $2,000) and the only people who have the phones converted usually are already paying a contract in another country. They simply also wish to use the phone with a Russian service on their iPhone as well while they are here. Since they are paying the US contract anyway they are not breaching any contracts and certainly are not performing criminal acts. For someone who wants to use a G3 iPhone in the US with any GSM provider it is now better to buy an unlocked phone in Russia at 22000 rubles (about $650) that can be freely used in the US without a long term contract. I cannot speak for phones from other countries such as Germany or UK but assume similar economics. Some countries in fact have required that Apple sell unlocked phones charging that Apple is unfairly restricting competition. Charles On 2/17/09 6:34 PM, "Misha (Live)" <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Charles, > > I do not want to spark another heated discussion so I reply to directly to > you. > I apologize in advance if you find this email offensive. > I have a feeling you know why the iphone come locked so there is no reason to > beat on the dead horse. if someone to wants to unlock the phone they can do 1 > of 2 things: > - jail break the phone > - pay the full retail price of the phone > > there is no other option. period. > the name of the first option suggest that the action deals with something > illegal. and why would someone ever promote and suggest something illegal? is > it because we live in russia and its quiet normal for people to engage in > activity that leads to that? frankly everyone who openly suggested on ways to > unlock the phone suck. it all starts small, somewhat innocent, but what will > be next? Hopefully not along these lines: I raped a teenage girl and need > advice on how to escape punishment? > I am sick of expats coming to Russia and not promoting truth and honesty. I am > sick of loser expats, who can't achieve anything at home, come to Russia and > be proud for bribing police and government officials. There is a role that all > of us should play to make Russia a better place. You need to play your role > too. So if you say nothing you will will at least look smarter. > > Cheers, > > Misha >
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