iPhone 3G 16GB Legally Unlocked

[sziklassy]

SO I am seeing alot of listings on eBay labeled as a legally unlocked (done by Apple) iPhone. They also claim that the IMEI is registered by Apple as known to be "legally" unlocked. Is there any truth to this? I was not aware that they sell unlocked phones. Do they unlock the phone for you if you decide to pay full price for it or something?

Here is a link to one of the eBay listings:
APPLE iPHONE 3G 16GB_LEGALLY UNLOCKED_ship worldwide - eBay (item 170261046429 end time Sep-14-08 04:40:29 PDT)

[MPS3]

by the looks of his feed back its real

[cpjr]

Im not spending $1000 on it, I dont care if it even has MMS

[sziklassy]

the reason I was asking is how does one get apple to unlock the thing? He claims Apple unlocked it, so he has done something to get them to do so...

[MPS3]

all iPhone sold in France and Russia are unlocked

[cpjr]

^^via hardware unlock....not a software unlock like we are doing "not so legally". That is why updating firmwares will not relock it.

[sziklassy]

so then the iphone in question is hardware unlocked? Is it sold by Apple this way or is it actually opened, thus technically voiding warranty?

[cpjr]

^^Well, unless im mistaken about the "hardware unlock" deal...it would be built that way.

[MPS3]

its a soft unlock sold and made by Apple
reason for it the 2 country's have laws against selling locked phones
so Apple had to do it if they wanted to sell there iPhone
that is also why Russia got there iPhones last
i think like last week

[cpjr]

^^Cool. Knew it had to do with their laws over there. Wasnt sure how Apple chose to do it.

Kinda wish the US had those laws.

[sziklassy]

time to push for a US law like this. Are the phones then sold for a ton more money if they aren;t sold with a contract in Russia or is this guys making like 700 bucks a phone?!?!
In other words if I knew some people in Russia, could I get an unlocked phone for around 4-500 bucks there?

time to push for a US law like this. Are the phones then sold for a ton more money if they aren;t sold with a contract in Russia or is this guys making like 700 bucks a phone?!?!
In other words if I knew some people in Russia, could I get an unlocked phone for around 4-500 bucks there?

[MPS3]

i dont think he making that much
phone in Russia are not subsidized
but then again im sure he is not doing it for nothng =)

[Eurisko]

^^via hardware unlock....not a software unlock like we are doing "not so legally". That is why updating firmwares will not relock it.

Unlocking the iPhone (or any cell) is quite legal in North America. They should be rephrasing it to legitimate unlock.

[wiggy]

You can buy an unlocked iphone in Belgium for 525 euros (8gb 3g) ...this is another country that dont allow phones to be locked to one particular network.

[MPS3]

sweet so USA & Canada got the shitty end of the stick as always

[princemarko]

the reason I was asking is how does one get apple to unlock the thing? He claims Apple unlocked it, so he has done something to get them to do so...

Apple cannot sell locked iphones in certain countries in Europe. Thats how they get them.

Italy, France, Holland, Belgium and a few others have specific laws prohibiting that. Apple unlocks the iPhone via iTunes as the IMEI number is connected to Apple servers and unlocks the iphone remotely, not hardware.

[miranda albers]

okay guys here is my question...
what if a guy from belgium wants to upgrade his phone?? (from a belgium computer on a belgium provider) The phone should stay unlocked right?

Now i am a naugthy girl and have my husband living in belgium and i hook up my iphohe to the belgium computer? What will happen. Can it be that easy or not?

when i placed the iphone on the computer it asked me to upgrade itunes to 7.7 which i read at one of the forums.
How can you recognize the country the iphone is sold in? Can you find that in the imeinumber?

Did any of you try this before?
thanks a lot!!

[cpjr]

If the phone was legally unlocked via Apple, it should stay unlocked.