GeoHotz speaks on iPhone 3G unlocking - Is it worth it?
By Aaron Besson at 7 July, 2008, 4:47 pm
Is it really worth it?
I have often asked myself, and others that question. Would the effort (and resources) needed for an unlock for the iPhone 3G really be worth it?
How many of us are really going to be able to get our hands on the iPhone 3G without a contract?
I know I am not getting one from iLounge for winning the design contest anymore because of the strict contract and purchasing agreements.
How would anyone get one without a money sucking contract? And you would then have to try to unlock/jailbreak/activate, to then possibly be defeated with a new update from Apple.
George Hotz is famous for being the first to unlock the original iPhone and for his critical role in unlocking most if not all other firmwares. Thanks to GeoHotz, we did away with the whole idea of StealthSims, UltraSims etc. He wrote allot of the tools that are used to create the unlocking tools, virginizers and baseband restore tools etc. Most of all we need to thank him for GunLock which is still used in most popular unlocking tools today (YOU, ME, PWNED, ZIPHONE, iLIBERTY, INDEPENDANCE and iPLUS all need to thank - and do thank - GeoHotz)
So what does young George Hotz have to say about the iPhone 3G and unlocking it’s baseband?
“On Unlocking
Is it really worth it? I mean, aside from the technical challenge, who will really benefit from it? I hear the phone is sold unlocked for +$80 AUD in Australia. Here, the best way to get a phone is to buy one from AT&T then cancel it, $200+$35+175=$410. You are better off buying an old iPhone off eBay. With locate me, how much will a GPS really help? And here in the states, T-Mobile 3G won’t work.
I’m curious as to what amplifier chip the phone uses though. The number one question I got from people about the old iPhone unlock is “Will it work with Verizon?” Now it could be possible.
I still don’t know how I’m getting my hands on a device. And if I’m not sure, how will everyone else who wants one get one? Apple, this is really a step backward for the consumer. I’m disappointed in you.”
With George moving over to develop for Google’s Andriod Mobile OS, he may be giving up n the iPhone. I hope that without his effort, the Dev Team can create a iPhone 3G unlock, I am sure a 2.0 unlock will come around a few days (if not the same day) after the OS X iPhone 2.0 is released for 1st gen iPhones.
I too am dissappointed with Apple and the fact that some of the key people are walking away who were involved with the unlocking of the iPhone and the community that has been formed by the “unlocked community”
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