Forget About Using the iPhone in the Philippines—at Least for Now
By Rico, 6:06 pm Sat Nov 17 2007 - Editorial - 3 Opinions
Once the iPhone launched, it was inevitable that hackers and enthusiasts would find ways around the software locks that kept Apple’s smartphone exclusive to its network partners and made it impossible to install third-party applications. But the company has surprised and frustrated with their active efforts to keep their product closed. The 1.1.2 software update effectively undid the popular workarounds posted online. Some users found themselves for scrambling for ways to rollback the update.
Optimistic rumors place a Philippine iPhone launch by the first quarter of 2008, while more realistic assessments place it much later than that. Whatever the case, the very active iPhone thread over at philmug.org proves that many Filipinos go through the trouble of buying an iPhone and unlocking for use in the Philippines, no matter how far off the official launch is. In the grey market mecca of Greenhills, numerous vendors already offer iPhone unlocking services.
In this local news report, the NTC asserts that it will prosecute unlockers only if they receive an official complaint
Of course, Apple will never have total control over their customers’ usage. But it can make life harder for those who refuse to fall in line (especially when all new iPhones are being sold with the 1.1.2 update preinstalled). Ironically, the open nature of the Internet is actually working against those who would set the iPhone free. As they post the information needed to break Apple’s restrictions, the company can analyze the data and come up with counter solutions.
Apple can make updates mandatory in new ways, such as letting new and compelling services work only with “legit” units, or even require updating before the phone can work with a computer. All this is probably enough to make the prospect of “unofficially” owning an iPhone a difficult one.
For those who want an iPhone without the associated problems of keeping it unlocked, all is not lost though. Many decent alternatives will keep them occupied until the iPhone finally makes its official arrival in the Philippines.
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Legitimate Use of iPhone in the Philippines Possible—For Nearly Php 200,000
3:03 pm Sun Nov 25 2007
[...] when you take into consideration other expenses like accomodations, food, etc. So you can still forget about using the iPhone in the Philippines, especially when T-Mobile and Apple say that unlocked units won’t provide full functionality. [...]
Philippine Cell Phones » Looks Like You Won’t See A Philippine iPhone Anytime Soon
8:08 am Tue Dec 11 2007
[...] Technogra.ph: Optimistic rumors place a Philippine iPhone launch by the first quarter of 2008, while more [...]
will garci
9:09 am Sat Jul 12 2008
matagal ng na hacked ang i phone. you can use it as a regular phone pero di mo pwedeng i connect sa i tunes…talamak na dito sa US yan $30 ang bayad sa hacked then you can used another simcard….so kung me kamag anak ka sa america na me hacked na phone padala ka na…lol