NJ Teen Unlocks IPhone From AT&T Network

[Richard King]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8R7H9OG1&show_article=1
A 17-year-old hacker has broken the lock that ties Apple's iPhone to AT&T's wireless network, freeing the most hyped cell phone ever for use on the networks of other carriers, including overseas ones.
George Hotz of Glen Rock, N.J., confirmed Friday that he had unlocked an iPhone and was using it on T-Mobile's network, the only major U.S. carrier apart from AT&T that is compatible with the iPhone's cellular technology. In a video posted to his blog, he holds an iPhone that displays "T-Mobile" as the carrier.
Kids these days. :lol: More.....

[Earl Bonovich]

"But I didn't want to be used to make money".....

That is my favorite line in the quote...

His 4 other buddies...

You wonder how much this particular kid did.... and if so... why in the world would he want to do an interview on it...

Anyone want to bet, iPhone is going to have a patch out tonight-this weekend... that will make this hack not work..

[DCSholtis]

Two groups have now come up with a software patch for those who wish not to break open their iPhones. Of course it will cost anywhere from $50-100 for that bit of shareware......

http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/08/24/unlock/index.php?lsrc=mcrss

At another site, iPhoneSimFree.com, a company claims it can unlock iPhones through software only. A screen image with an item about the company on Engadget.com also shows an iPhone displaying the T-Mobile name.

In addition, John McLaughlin, founder of Uniquephones, said his Belfast, U.K., company will be posting software on Saturday that iPhone users can download to unlock their handsets to work with any SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card on any network they choose. The software should hit the Web at www.iphoneunlocking.com between noon and 2 p.m. Eastern Time, he said.

The video "proof" is available from Engadget. I saw it earlier and to me its inconclusive. To many unanswered questions for my tastes for now.

[Lord Vader]

Earl, from what the network news techie guru said, Apple and/or AT&T won't be able to patch the hack to "cancel" what this kid did. Once one hacks it the way this kid did--basically by rewiring it--it's unlocked and will work on any GSM phone, period.

[HIPAR]

Really, what's the point. I guess it's mostly about the challenge and bragging rights.

--- CHAS

[Lord Vader]

No, it's about not being forced to go with AT&T's cell service just because one bought an iPhone. Now one can use whichever provider one wishes, as long as it's a GMS one.

[JACKIEGAGA]

I am glad

[Earl Bonovich]

Really, what's the point. I guess it's mostly about the challenge and bragging rights.

--- CHAS


And it is a MONSTER size issue to AT&T, which I am sure wrote a pretty hefty size check to Apple for that exclusive on the iPhone.

[HIPAR]

So are the other GSM networks providing internet web service that's compatible with a modified iPhone. I believe only compatibility with email was demonstrated on a competitive network. Of course, it's useful as a phone.

Sorry, but I don't see the utility of spending 600 + dollars unless I can use the Web based features elsewhere.

I recently stopped at the local ATT store to see one of these things. It's quite a technological achievement. I like the user interface concepts but don't like the user interface ... I can't see it and couldn't use that really tiny touch keyboard. I'm not sure if it's visible in the sunlight.

--- CHAS

[Steve Mehs]

It was only a matter of time. It must be pretty demoralizing for AT&T and Apple to spends all this time, effort and money on locking the phone down only to have it cracked by a kid.

[Kevin Dupuy]

But who is really going to use this? Is anyone, even outside of the country, going to spend $500-600 plus $175 to get out of an AT&T contract?

[Nick]

New Jersey Teen Shows CNBC How He Unlocked the iPhone

A New Jersey teenager has figured out how to make Apple's iPhone available
on other wireless services besides AT&T, removing a major frustration for
thousands of consumers.

In an interview on CNBC, 17-year-old George Hotz revealed his motivation for
hacking the device: "It was fun. This was a good use of a summer. I became
obsessed with unlocking this thing."

Hotz was able to unlock the device to use it on his family's T-Mobile service.

More @ www.cnbc.com (http://www.cnbc.com/id/20426036)

[Lord Vader]

Now he's trading some hacked phones for a car.

Details here: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070828/D8RA21B01.html

[DonLandis]

If any of you took the time to read how he did it you wouldn't be so quick to judge.

From hios own words, George just did the hardware hack. Which consisted of add ing a switch to a pair of pins on a chip that holds the phone lock code. In the process the switch allows the chip to accept code changes allowing it to be reprogrammed with code missing the lock sequence. Once that is done, the switch and wires are removed. The hardware mod is only temporary. But being that it requires very careful soldering to a pair of pins on the board, it is risky. His other friends were the brains behind the code modifications and figured it out by studying other unlock sequences for other phones. The process is not very complicated but, considering they were working with no budget for failure, I think what they did was pretty amazing.
George did say that he decided to do this as opposed to working and saving for a car. Now he still needs a car so he is doing the service to make money to buy that car.

I believe the only other service in the US than can work with the iphone is T-Mobile, so if you feel you need an iphone, and T-Mobile, this is your chance.

George's hack in no way makes the phone work on Verizon or Sprints system. If anyone is hoping for that, just wait and Steve Jobs will soon release a CDMA version. IMO, that's the one to wait for. It also may have resolved the other shortcomings of the iphone.

PS- I posted the link to the actual process if you feel worthy. It is in the other iphone thread.

[P Smith]

He have own blog (http://iphonejtag.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html)if you interesting, but reading ALL his post there I've got impression of tip an iceberg where the boy expose himself. Brave move, but the hack wasn't his practically. Major contributors still live under nicks.
Nice self promotion, I wasn't that pragmatical in my 17th :).

[paulman182]

I thought something like this would be termed "reverse engineering" and be illegal?

[DonLandis]

paulman182- You'd think so but when I checked into it, appears that Lib of Congress( the one charged with copyright enforcement, about a year ago, exempted cell phones from DMCA. It opens the door for third party development which often needs to be integrated into the code to work.
Consequently, The Apple phone is purchased from a maker and used with a different company'e service. Unlocking cell phones has been a viable business for quite awhile.

Quick search reference here (http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/08/tracfone)should be enough info for you doubters

From the article:
Mark Siegel, an AT&T spokesman, said unlocked phones could be used on AT&T's system "as long as it's an approved device that we're sure will work on our network."

Jennifer Granick, executive director of the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School (and a Wired News columnist), who won the exemption on behalf of The Wireless Alliance, says the ruling means wireless carriers can't claim that unlocking wireless phones for legitimate uses is "violating a copyright just like copyrighted music and movies.

In the case of the iphone, at&t isn't yet involved if the phone has never been activated but here, at&t claims they have no problem with other phones unlocked to their network; can we take it in the reverse as well? :)

The article points out that there have been 11 lawsuits filed but none have been tested yet. Should be interesting! If it goes bad, it will shut down an entire industry.

[Nick]

The iPhone unlocking hack, as reported, does not meet the definition of "reverse" engineering.From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_engineering): Reverse engineering (RE) is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device or object or system through an abductive analysis of its structure, function and operation. It often involves taking something (e.g. a mechanical device, an electronic component, a software program) apart and analyzing its workings in detail, usually to try to make a new device or program that does the same thing without copying anything from the original. ...

[DonLandis]

Nick- That is exactly what Hotz and others did. They used self developed data to discover how the iphone handled lock codes. If they were given the information from Apple as in a schematic and engineering manuals then no, it would not have to be reverse engineered. But they did use abductive, not inductive analysis to gain knowledge of the device and perform their modification.

So is reverse engineering legal?

It apparently is. See court cases (http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39147906,00.htm) testing it:
And more (http://www.computerworld.com/softwaretopics/software/appdev/story/0,10801,65532,00.html)

In and out of court but, so far in the US, it's legal.

From a legal standpoint, I've always wondered about the legality of selling something with assumed " no reverse engineering" clause in a warranty, shrink wrapped in the package with the sale. If that were legal, then so would be a statement in that same document that said you had to pay the company a x dollars every time you turned the device on as royalty. Neither has held up in court. Seems to me any contract must have disclosure to be binding. Without disclosure there would be no offer and acceptance, the first requirement of a binding contract.

[Nick]

AT&T, Apple face battle prosecuting hackers who
untether iPhone from AT&T's wireless networkBusinessWeek.com:

It sure sounds like a steal. On Aug. 31, George Hotz plans to trade in his iPhone for
a metallic blue Nissan (NSANY) 350Z sports car and three brand-new iPhones. But
the 17-year-old's device is no ordinary Apple phone. Hotz hacked his iPhone and
unlocked it so that it can be used on a variety of cell-phone networks, becoming the
first person known to have done so. The person buying Hotz's phone, Terry Daidone,
believes he's the one getting the deal because Hotz has agreed to work for him at
CertiCell, Daidone's cell-phone refurbishing company. ...http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2007/tc20070827_230698.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index _best+of+bw