[quote author=“sleepygeek”][quote author=“Derrick”]I wonder if there will be a run on iPhones with 1.0.2 firmware since those are the only ones that can currently be unlocked?There already has been for a couple of weeks. I suspect current iPhone production cannot be unlocked in the same way, even if you downgraded the firmware to 1.0.2.

Was at ARS Westfarms this afternoon to get my bride a birthday present (iPhone). No doing - several of the staff there said they’d had an unexpected run on iPhones just today, and expected to be sold out until new shipments came in maybe Tuesday. Westfarms has never been sold out before this weekend.  So my guess is people (the infamous “they”) are cleaning out the last stock of 1.0.2-boxed iPhones. 90 days after release and the technology is so groundbreaking, people want it even without the new features or a reliable upgrade path. Sure this phone will send you updates, but nearly everyone has been living without phone updates for years. The only way to get an updated phone was to buy a new one.

Speaking of 90 days, Cingular has always been very liberal with unlocking for international use after 90 days. I’ve always been able to call them up, say “I’ve been with you for over 90 days, and am headed to Europe on business/holiday/etc - would you please walk me through the unlock process so I can use a pre-paid sim over there?”  I wonder if that would work this time?

I don’t have an iPhone so I’m not too concerned with unlocking, updating and bricking.

BUT what I am really concerned about is the negative PR that this is generating.  I’m seeing as a high volume of stories on the web tonight about bricked phones.

I really don’t see why Apple cares about unlocking and 3rd party apps.  Public remarks not withstanding, bricking someone’s $500 phone is a little over the top IMHO.

I agree. I’ve read dozens of negative stories and user comments on the 1.1.1 upgade. And not all have been from owners who unlocked their phones. Even ATT users are having their phones bricked by the update. I think Apple needs to provide a legitimate way for even the escapees to get their phones working again (which would mean they would be back on the ATT network,which would mean more income for Apple).

Nokia is taking advantage of the problems to start an “Open To Anything” campaign, which touts their phones as capable of hosting any application the user may desire.

Gizmodo has a piece explaining how to unbrick your phone, and says “to do it you must have used IPSF paid software to unlock your iPhone or use a TurboSIM card, which just works straight away.” So Tommo needn’t worry about keeping the secret any lomger.