Unlocked iPhones a growing industry

A cottage industry has grown up surrounding unlocked iPhones, and two new companies are looking to cash in.

Brazilian company DesbloqueioBr came up with a clever way of using a SIM-card adapter to enable unlocking the phone and choosing a carrier at your discretion. It's much like the Turbo SIM unlock. (There's video showing how this works at our sister site, Engadget.)

It ain't cheap: according to this site, the company plans to charge as much as $375 for the hack. Trouble is, the call quality is apparently worse, and Apple can break your unlock with a software update.

So, if you're not willing to drop that much for a hack, and you're into totally shady, fell-off-the-truck deals, then this is for you: You can order a "original" Apple devices direct from a dealer in Hong Kong. You do have to place a minimum order of $1,000, but everything you get will be network-unlocked.

Who knows, though, if they'll get here.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/hands-on-with-desbloqueio…

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A cottage industry has grown up surrounding unlocked iPhones, and two new companies are looking to cash in. Brazilian company...

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Dane

$1000?!? Why not come to Australia, buy the prepaid iphone (from optus) for $720 then pay $80 to get it legally unlocked? For $800 you get a legally unlocked iphone which won't eventualy be bricked by a software update

July 20 2008 at 10:12 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

doobi18

check out http://www.kingsim.com/kingsimen.htm

this guy sells sim-unlock devices like those used in the unlockable 112 period for much cheaper prices than those listed above

July 20 2008 at 10:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Greg

I'm sorry but how does call quality get worse with this method? That's ridiculous nonsense.
SIM is only used for identification, has nothing to do with the comm circuits.

July 18 2008 at 1:59 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Hamfritta

Or you could buy an unlocked iPhone from New Zealand...

July 17 2008 at 7:04 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mark

Their video proves NOTHING. No unlock here.

July 17 2008 at 3:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Paulo Matsui

I wonder how many phones add up to a grand. Actually I sent them a message through Alibaba asking that. No answer yet though.

July 17 2008 at 2:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

DDrDark

hi!
this dealer in honk kong it's safe? someone have bought anything?

July 17 2008 at 2:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mSiqueira

And there's a third way, known as "The iPhone Dev Team"... (have anyone heard of it, already?)

In a few days, Pwnage will be available Activating, Unlocking and Jailbreaking 2.0 firmware, and Activating and Jailbreaking 3G. Hopefully unlocking for 3G will be released soon, too.

It's reliable as a hack can be, it's a beautifully made solution and.... it's free.

So pls, folks, be patient and stay away of the scum...

July 17 2008 at 2:12 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

kiko

Inaccurate. The unlock from the Brazilian guys will cost 375 BRL, that is about 250 USD. That is quite fair - 100 dollars is for the TurboSIM and 150 dollars for the service for the first and only unlock yet.

July 17 2008 at 1:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply