major debate

[kilroy007]

is "unlocking" you're iPhone really stealing? becuase my parents think so, and my dad thinks that I'm stealing from apple becuase I unlocked my iPhone. originally my dad got it from a guy, and it was de-activated for personal reasons from the original owner. I took it from my dad, thinking he wouldn't have a problem with it, and he found out the other day and he took it from me, claiming that I was, "stealing." personally, he wasn't ever going to use the iPhone and pay the stupid monthly contracts, or anything, so I wanted it for myself. I told him that I went through all that work to unlock it, and he ended up taking it from me and using it for himself. but he only said he'd, "use it for a little bit, and then it would go bye-bye." he also stated this, "if a bank robber set up a plan to rob a bank and went through a lot to rob it, does it mean it's right?" and I replied, "no, of course not, but if the bank owners are not going to use it, what's the sense of having it?" (referring to my dad not using the iPhone).

so really, in you're opinion, is unlocking your iPhone REALLY stealing? not in mine, becuase I think that if apple REALLY wanted to stop us, they'd take more precautions as to stop us, or make it harder to unlock it. and they'd also send us things in the mail claiming that we were stealing. I also think that once it's yours (if you buy it from the apple store or whatever), it's yours to do what you want with, including unlocking it.

while me and my "swell" old dad were debating weather I was stealing from apple or not... we got into one more debate, I told my dad that I put music illegally on my iPod, he said he knew, and said that was stealing too. he said I was correct, and he asked and wondered how the record companies and singers and the lyric writers made money. I said, "they make money from advertisements and such..." and he said, "yeah, they don't make money now-a-days like they used to back then." and I stated, "if they really were upset with people stealing music, they'd simply stop producing music." couldn't apple do something simple like that too? but it's really not worth it for them in the end.

please post you're opinions, it would be very vital to me getting my precious iPhone back! also, please if you DO agree with me, post reasons as to why you agree, maybe so I can convince my dad?

thanks all!

[tondog]

Ok I am not gonna get involved in your little 14 y/o father son fights...

But I am a firm believer than once you buy the phone, its your property and can do with it what you want...

[kilroy007]

okay, it's not fighting with my dad, bud. I'm seventeen and I know how to handle myself...

but I agree on your opinion.

[ALL DAY]

There's no debate there. It's not stealing on any level. You're still paying for some type of service, and you spent the money on the device, therefore you can do anything you want with it.

My dad loves the jailbreaking and what not, even though he doesn't want his done. :/

[88five-oh]

Unlocking a phone is completely legal. Its protected by federal law...I'm thinking it was the Millenium Digital Rights Act...but i may be wrong, either way one of the recent (last 5-8 years) laws congress has passed dealt with the legality of unlocking phones. If i find the law, i will post it on here so you can hopefully get an iphone lol.
EDIT

there are a lot of legal issues surrounding unlocking, but the most applicable law in the US is everyone's favorite piece of legislation, the DMCA. Just like any other piece of code, the iPhone's firmware is protected by the Copyright Act, and circumventing the access controls in place to get at that code is a violation of the DMCA. However, the Copyright Office issued six exemptions to the DMCA last year, one of which allows consumers to unlock their cellphones "for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network."

There. it IS legal to unlock an iphone or any other phone for that matter. show your dad that.

[Bleeditout2130]

Wow....

My parents would encourage my creativity in using a phone or anything to its full capacity.

[Zeal]

Bleeditout2130, Why would you name yourself after a Linking Park Song

Anyways Call you Dad a idiot for me.. Once you buy the iPhone its no longer Apples concern its AT&Ts................ You're GIVING Apple the 500-600 dollers... How is that stealing?

I would understand if the guy you guys got the iPhone from just Walked into the Apple store or AT&T store and booked it.. But he bought so its NOT stealing.. My 2 Cents

[kilroy007]

@zeal
how is it at&t's problem?

[howlett15]

@zeal
how is it at&t's problem?

because the iphone was made just for at&t...apple just gets their money to sell the phone and at&t gets their money off of the service packages they sell.

so if you unlock it and use t-mobile or another service provider at&t loses business....making it at&t's problem.

sorry if i stole your thunder zeal

[Bleeditout2130]

Bleeditout2130, Why would you name yourself after a Linking Park Song

Anyways Call you Dad a idiot for me.. Once you buy the iPhone its no longer Apples concern its AT&Ts................ You're GIVING Apple the 500-600 dollers... How is that stealing?

I would understand if the guy you guys got the iPhone from just Walked into the Apple store or AT&T store and booked it.. But he bought so its NOT stealing.. My 2 Cents

I don't mind explaining this on another message board

I liked that song before the album came out (and before it was overplayed). I use that signify what "2130" would be doing every Sunday afternoon.

"21" is for Sean Taylor and "30" is for LaRon Landry (I'm a little bit of a Redskins fan). Because of their hard hitting, in a sense, they would cause opponents to "Bleed it out" everywhere.

Make sense?

*Aren't you going to wait for the new iPhone by the Miami Arena?

[Zeal]

Nope im gonna be out of the Country..

But what i said pretty muchs sums up this Entire thread and answers your questions and your Dads questions.

[kilroy007]

I pay for unlimited internet and text... and I have at&t... also that's not inclding how many minutes I get a month.
so is it really stealing if it says something different on the bill instead of, "iPhone data plan... ECT."?

[my2AWDgst]

...?

[Kruejl]

Apple got their money for the device, so there isn't any "theft" involved in how the device was aquired. As far as unlocking it, there are NO activation requirements with the first-gen iPhone. AT&T allowed anyone to purchase it and walk out without activation or a contract. Since unlocking is not illigal, how and even more importantly, WHO are you "stealing" from? His "bank robber" analogy is not accurate.

[kilroy007]

why is his "bank robbery" analogy not accurate?

[Kruejl]

^^^When you rob a bank, you go in and take money that doesn't belong to you. (duh )

Unlocking an iPhone AND using it on AT&T isn't taking something that doesn't belong to you.

Not only that, but honestly how is it any different than buying any other unlocked phone and using it with an AT&T SIM card?

[Bleeditout2130]

why is his "bank robbery" analogy not accurate?

The item isn't received via stolen methods. A bank robber has to rob the bank to get the money. Do you have to rob Apple or ATT to get the phone?

Nope.

[kilroy007]

you're right, but also, don't you have to pay a monthly service through at&t for the iPhone?

[Kruejl]

^^^If you choose to activate it through them, then you "agree" to their service terms. If you don't, then you haven't agreed to any terms.

[Zeal]

Once again.. my post..