How the iPhone might be sold unlocked

As far as I remember hearing, there was a ruling that all phones have to be sold either "unlocked" or they have to be unlocked at the request of the customer, which just means that you probably COULD buy the phone, and just use it on another provider. Granted it might not work the best without the visual voicemail...But the EDGE should work on all carriers. Truthfully I think it was a mistake to ignore the HSPDA option for the wireless network. But hey, as is with all technology, updates come out.

The iPhone would be able to work on T-Mobile's EDGE network, unless the iPhone's browser requires a proxy or some other software on T-Mobile's end like the Sidekick does, I believe that this is not the case because there is enough apparent computing power and data bandwidth to simply leave all of the processing to the phone. It is true though that there is some network side software that is required to run the visual voice mail, but an upgrade from T-Mobile would be simple because most of T-Mobile's network (over 90%) is actually based off of cingular infrastructure, it's a MNVO.

I don't think you are going to see Apple retail locations selling the phone with Cingular Services. This is for a few reasons:

Once you sell a service now you have to provide CS and deal with issues that are not Apple or hardware related. Regardless of telling the customer to call Cingular, they will still walk in and ask, thus taking specialists away from doing what they were hired to do, provide information and sell all of Apple's products.

Second, Apple stores might sell the phone with a SIM card, and activation info at a higher price point than going to a Cingular Store but I think that is where the partnership stops on the retail front.

Do you see Cingular stopping their online music and media store in favor for itunes? No. So why would Apple be tied to Cingular to the point where they limit themselves.

Apple is not a foolish company. They are entering this market and changing how phone manufacturers and providers do business.

Apple will be Apple, Cingular will be Cingular.

Fuck you guys for taking money from those stupid mortgage interest rate pricks with their infuriating dancing shadows.

I completely agree with #39. The iPhone will not be locked to Cingy throughout its lifetime. Apple has earned a lot of money by opening the iPod to both OS X and Windows through iTunes. Therefore, I sincerely believe they will not lock the iPhone exclusively to the GSM-using market when companies like Verizon and Sprint have such huge user bases.

I would also like to address the issue of limited applications. Everyone is whining about the iPhone's closed nature, which will not let 3rd party developers release extra applications. However, Apple is marketing the iPhone to the masses, and the masses want simplicity (one of the most widely-praised features of the iPod). I promise you the vast majority of cellphone users do not have the foggiest idea how to install a mobile application, and use whatever comes pre-loaded on their phone anyway.

#19 All the information I have seen indicates that user installed applications will not be possible on this version of the iPhone, so no Skype.

Of course Cingular doesn't want to be subsidizing a phone that can easily use IP calling.

I believe apple will educate current apple employees (like best buy) on cingular's service and have to sell it with the phone. It is $499 and $599 with a 2 year contract, I can only imagine how much it will be without a contract. There is an agreement made with Apple and Cingular and it looks doubtful for receiving a $499 iPhone unlocked.

With all due respect to the above statement that GSM is far more advanced technology, I would humbly disagree. I am a long term proponent of GSM, having been introduced to it many years ago in Asia and was blown away with it compared to our competing technology in place then, TDMA. The interchangeability was important and simply amazing (still is). However the reality is that Qualcomm's CDMA technology is FAR MORE ADVANCED than GSM, even 3G. Ponder this. Why does the most advanced internet country in the world (South Korea) have no GSM and only CDMA? Why, because they are getting speeds far in EXCESS of our cable modem speeds on their cell phones. I have had T-Mo when they were Voicestream and before that Omni and I still love their service, however I use my Sprint EV-DO internet connection to surf all the time (yes over bluetooth.)

Someone also mentioned that Cingular is more open because you can transfer mp3s via bluetooth. I have had phones on every platform and I can say that you can do that with ANY phone that supports such a feature.

Everyone is going nuts with this Cingular deal. However before every gets their undies in a tizzy we don't know how long this exclusivity agreement is. It stands to reason that it is for a finite period of time and probably a way to get the market open. I would suspect that it is probably for a year or so. Thereafter they will be ubiquitous like the RAZR is now. The RAZR was exclusive to providers around the world for the first six months to a year if you recall.

Well, I honestly hope Apple do decide to sell the iPhone unlocked but with a Cingular contract in the box (As diablojota quoted above)... I am from Australia and we have to wait until 2008 before Apple Australia gets their hands on them.. We have, unbelievably, a much better cellular network here than in the USA. 4 major country wide carriers, which all now have 3G networks...
Even if the iPhone was only Quad GSM, I would love to bring one back to Australia with me and know it works...

But of course, our dream is the 3G iPhone... Maybe thats why we have to wait till 2008.. Apple probably wont release it to us until its 3G....

EDGE is pretty wide spread, the visual voicemail though will most likely need a piece of Software on the Carriers Backend.

Which is the thing I don't get really. The VM backend most likely was written by Apple, they could have just sold it as a "black box" to any carrier and sell the phone directly themselves, why did they chose to tie themselves to one carrier only (at least in the US?).