Apple vs AT&T?

Apple and AT&T are reportedly butting heads when it comes to various aspects of future distribution of the iPhone. The recent addition of nearly 4,000 distribution centers through big box retailer Walmart has seemingly opened the floodgates internally.

Sources at AT&T explain that the addition of Walmart was more of an AT&T initiative than that of Apple. Additionally, future iPhone rate plans will be tailored to Apple’s liking as the iPhone family grows in diversity.

“We want the iPhone sold everywhere. Every single time another retailer gets mentioned, it just adds fuel to the fire,” a source at AT&T explained. When asked directly about Costco, Sam’s Club, Sears, Radioshack and Target as future iPhone retailers, they answered “The only place that hasn’t been mentioned lately is Radio Shack. Aside from that, most retailers are seen as opportunities.” Does this mean that Costco Sam’s Club and Target will begin selling the iPhone soon? Not likely, but it does confirm that AT&T has most of them on its radar.

As soon as the iPhone was released back in 2007, many people anticipated that Radioshack would begin selling the device and that it could potentially save the company. However, nearly 18 months later Radioshack still isn’t carrying the iPhone even though AT&T is setup through a high number of Rasioshack’s physical outlets. Conflicting interests between carriers, retailers and actual geographic locations of storefronts play into AT&T’s decisions with the iPhone’s distribution. It just hasn’t yet worked out with Radioshack.

The addition of Walmart as a distribution point for Apple’s iPhone is seen as a great move by most analysts. Apple is gaining nearly 4,000 physical locations that will sell the iPhone, and AT&T of course benefits greatly from every iPhone sold. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster estimates that Apple could sell nearly 4.5 million iPhones in 2009 only through Walmart.

As Apple expands its global position with the iPhone 3G, AT&T is not going to lie dormant. Because of subsidization and long-term revenue, AT&T of course wants the iPhone sold at as many possible places nationwide. Adding as many distribution centers as possible is a high priority for the cell carrier. Where it gets sticky is when AT&T and Apple’s intentions conflict.

The prepaid iPhone that AT&T promised consumers this past summer is a prime example of this. The cell carrier promised a $599 8GB iPhone, or a $699 16GB iPhone without the need for a long term contract. A few reasons as to why we haven’t seen this from AT&T make some sense, but some information is not being mentioned. Even though Apple does make money long-term based on every iPhone subscriber that joins AT&T’s network, they also make direct revenue based on actual hardware sales. It’s believed that Apple has been pushing for the prepaid contract-free iPhone, while AT&T has remained firm on delaying the release in order to force people into two year contracts. Expect this to change either early next year, or possibly with a late holiday blitz put on by AT&T in a brute attempt to sway potential customers into iPhone purchases. 
The relationship between Apple and AT&T has evolved into much more of a communicative partnership than Apple is generally known for. The intense legal pressure that both companies have been put under since launching the iPhone 3G has made them work together and share more information. This does not mean that Apple informs AT&T of all of its future plans. But it does mean that any future plans that may affect AT&T’s network, such as distribution, AT&T is more than aware of. Most likely, at this point in the partnership they are involved in those final decisions.

Additionally, we expect AT&T to focus extensively on iPhone packages and data rates in the near future. As Apple expands and diversifies its iPhone line, AT&T will be on board to cater its network as Apple needs. Expect small price drops in monthly rate plans and more flexibility in terms of customers picking their needed usage amounts. AT&T’s exclusivity with the iPhone is expected to last into 2012, however we believe it could be quietly extended even longer than initially expected.

First AT&T does Online Sales and Now Refurbished iPhone 3G’s

AT&T has refurbished 3G iPhones up for sale on their site. The 8GB black sells for only $149 with a new 2 year contract, and both the white and black 16GB versions are $249 with contract.

Apple Get A Mac Holiday Ads 2008

Probably (& understandably) lost in all the 3G Software Unlock news was the fact that Apple has posted two new animated Christmas Get A Mac ads.

The first ad entitled ‘I Can Do Anything’ features PC excited about how since they’re animated they can do anything. They can float in the air, build things quickly, and talk to animals. PC then talks to a little bunny who is going to the Apple Store and proceeds to knock a snowman on top of the bunny.

The second ad entitled ‘Tree Trimming’ features PC and Mac working together to decorate a Christmas Tree. Mac tells PC how nice it is to put aside their differences and work together. When they plug in the Christmas lights, PC has placed them in a way that reads ‘PC Rules’.

I Can Do Anything

Tree Trimming

iPhone 3G Unlock Officially Announced - Code Name: Yellowsn0w - Release Date: News Years Eve

‘Tis the Season to be Jolly!

Now that you guys have got used to the sunburn and blindness caused by the glare of the Dev Taems new blog template, we can get back to normal business. We’ll give you some updates and also tell you our schedule for the festive season.

Over the Christmas break some of the Dev Team members will be talking at the Chaos Computer Club’s 25C3 Congress. This talk will be a juicy technical talk relating to iPhone platform and their previous exploits. You can see more information about the talk “Hacking the iPhone”. There is even a super-cool TeamPwnapple T-Shirt

The Dev Team have been working hard on a few other things. The main one being the 3G unlock codenamed “yellowsn0w”. This is now completed and is currently being packaged into a user-friendly application with the simplicity that you see in QuickPwn or BootNeuter.

* The target release date for the unlock is New Year’s Eve 2008.
* This unlock method is available to iPhone 3Gs that have 2.11.07 baseband or earlier, they did warn you.
* The unlock requires a jailbroken 3G iPhone.

DFU Problems

Lots of users have been experiencing problems with the use of DFU mode after applying yesterday’s 10.5.6 system update.

The Dev’s believe this behavior is due to a kernel bug not a specific countermeasure by Apple. Possible fixes are (try at your own risk!) -

1. Replace the following plugin kexts from within IOUSBFamily.kext with the ones from 10.5.5 and then rebuild kextcache (if you don’t understand this, then you shouldn’t attempt it!)

/System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBHub.kext

/System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/IOUSBCompositeDriver.kext

2. Use a USB hub in-between the DFU device and the Mac and insert/reinsert the iPhone’s USB cable.

3. Use a PwnageTool created .ipsw on Windows! Oh the irony!

iPod touch 2G

Currently the Dev Team are not investigating the iPod touch 2G. Other people outside the Dev-Team are looking into this, but they are not at the moment. Please don’t hassle them with comments and requests about this, they’ll just be deleted and ignored. If they do look at this device it will be sometime in the New Year and they’ll inform you guys if and when they commence this work.

The Dev Team would like to reiterate that this is not because -

1. They are mean
2. They are turning our back on the iPod touch community
3. They have been paid off by JFK, Princess Diana or Elvis

This is because -

1. They have been busy with the 3G unlock.
2. They have been busy with the CCC talk.
3. Only one of them has a iPod touch 2G (but we’ll see what Santa brings)
4. Their employers don’t get as excited as us about hacking expensive pretty devices
5. Unfortunately their partners, parents and pets need occasional attention too.

Great news!!

[via DevTeamBlog]

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New Mac OS X 10.5.6 update doesnt recognize iPhones in DFU Mode - Fix on the way

Apple released an Mac OS X update 10.5.6 that seems to disable your Mac from detecting your iPhone or iPod Touch in DFU mode. Unfortunately this is critical if you are using PWNAGE or QuickPWN on your Mac to unlock your iPhone or jailbreak your iPhone 3G and Touch. This is also bad news if the new iPhone 3G method will require DFU mode to load a custom unlocked ipsw via iTunes.

MuscleNerd from the Dev Team has stated that one work around is the following:

The simplest workaround I’ve heard of for the DFU issue is to copy one or two of the 10.5.5 frameworks files over the newer ones.

Seeing that I have already updated my Mac Mini and my new MacBook Aluminum probably already has OS X 10.5.6 I will be faced with this problem myself and will be sure to post a fix as soon as I find one. Stay tuned for more info.

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More iPhone Nano Rumors via Chinese iPhone Accessory Manufacturers Surface - Beginning to look Convincing

The rumors are starting to circulate again as Chinese accessory manufacturers have supposedly gotten their hands on the mold of what they claim is Apple’s new iPhone Nano.

It’s easy to conclude that the Chinese accessory manufacturers can easily get access to this info and molds via other local people in the business and workers in the manufacturing plants. They use this info to plan what new accessories they can have inline and ready for sale when the new product is released. Following a hunch and creating accessories for an iPhone Nano before it has even been announced is a risk that can either cost the company or generate millions of dollars.

One such iPhone (and other mobile phones) accessory manufacturer XSKN has leaked some of it’s renderings of it’s new mold for the rumored iPhone Nano. It is rumored to be the same height as the recently release Nano Chromatic but wider and thicker and with the new iPhone 3G shape and materials. It has 3 sensors, built in camera, mirror screen (I guess like the LG Shine) but no 3G. Steve Jobs is said will be announcing it during the January MacWorld 09 show and it will be in stores shortly afterward, but still no idea if it will be available unlocked or not. Below are some of the leaked images from XSKN

First thing you’ll notice is that the case is very form fitting so we have a good idea of the shape of the rumored iPhone Nano. Next I realized there was no headphone jack on the top, so maybe this has been moved to the bottom of the device. Other than that there seems to be no front facing camera or additional buttons. If you remember there were some photos that surfaced of an iPhone Touch Screen that measured 2.8″ and not the 3.2″ of the current iPhone and allot of other iPhone Nano Rumors.

What do you think? Real or Not? Let us know in the comments.

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