Can Apple + AT&T Shut Down iPhone Unlockers?

aalobode writes "Do Apple and AT&T have the legal right to stop hackers from selling unlocked iPhones? Under their terms, only AT&T may sell iPhones, and Apple gets a commission. When unlocked iPhones are used on other providers' networks, AT&T and hence Apple get nothing beyond what they earned on the initial sale of the hardware. Can they prohibit unlocking? Reselling? The article in Businessweek gives the for and against arguments, but leans toward the view that the hackers may have the law on their side for once."

No $#%!, Sherlock

[conspirator57]

I bought a computer and have the right to modify it and subsequently turn around and sell it? Amazing!

What will I do with this new-found freedom? ...the same thing we do every night, Stimpy: try to take over the world!

Re:"only AT&T may sell iPhones"

[j00r0m4nc3r]

You do the math.

(sqrt(270000) * 146000) / pi = 24148205.619474491768596100626108

Re:Do I own it or not

[MarkovianChained]

"Is it illegal to open up the iphone and melt it down?" Is it illegal to blend it [willitblend.com]? :)

Re:I don't even have to RTFA

[arodland]

... so they're going to send ninjas with screwdrivers into the streets to steal people's iPhones, make hardware modifications, and then quietly return them?

Re:No $#%!, Sherlock

[HTH NE1]

It's Stimpy and the Brain
It's Stimpy and the Brain
One's an eediot and the other's a rodent!

Re:"only AT&T may sell iPhones"

[Anonymous Coward]

The question:

Form a square with every iPhone sold and mark the phones that are in the first row. Make a phone call from every marked iPhone to every activated iPhone. Place the phone bills in a circle, what is the circle's diameter?

Re:In Finland

[Anonymous Coward]

I hope so since they are frozen to your lips.

Re:Good, so I can delete the software

[IthnkImParanoid]

violates the software license agreement, so you infringe copyright.

Game over, Phoenix Wright.

Some things never change

[dave562]

When I was a 17 year old kid I had an unlocked Oki 900 that I used on AT&T's network. I'm pretty sure they weren't too happy that the phone could switch between five different sets of ESN/MIN pairs.

Re:Stimpy?

[Clock Nova]

The Brain: Are you pondering what I'm pondering?

Pinky: I think so Brain, but isn't Regis Philbin already married?

Israeli Team Unblocks iPhone

[LongLiv3Pearl3]

Since an Israeli team unblocked the iPhone, obstructing this hack would be an act of anti-Semitism.