PhilMUG nasa Inquirer nanaman!

[elbert]

http://technology.inquirer.net/infot...ticle_id=90883

Local iPhone users doubt Apple warning
By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:34pm (Mla time) 09/26/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Some Filipino owners of hacked iPhones doubt Apple's recent warning against using unlocking software to allow them to use the handset outside the United States.

A debate is raging among members of the Philippine MAC Users Group who also questioned the authenticity of the Apple warning issued this week.

Apple, however, confirmed with INQUIRER.net that it has indeed issued a warning this week.

"Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone's software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed," the company said in an e-mailed copy of the warning.

Apple said it plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store later this week.

"Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone's warranty," the computer company said.

Deepblue, a PhilMUG member, argued that Apple's warning should be taken with "a grain of salt," adding it might be just part of the company's scare tactics.

Another user named Karlo also doubted Apple's warning as he argued that the company might be "contractually" obligated to at least make attempts to prevent and discourage unlocking of the iPhone's software.

"What is it that can't be reset to factory conditions? You could always just re-flash it to the original firmware and Apple would never know," the user said.

Some local users said that hackers would eventually find a "workaround" in the next iPhone software update.

Elbert Cuenca, three-year chairman of PhilMUG, estimated that there are now at least a thousand users of iPhone in the Philippines.

Among PhilMUG users, there are now 30 to 40 users, Cuenca said.

Lately, he said that he saw unlocked iPhone units sold in Greenhills in San Juan and a popular local retail store. One store even sells one unlocked unit for P50,000.

"We also heard that people are bringing in unlocked iPhone units from Singapore and Hong Kong," he added.

Cuenca said the debate over the Apple warning emerged because initially the official statement was not available on the computer company's website.

"Apple has said that it would not actively pursue a lock down on unlocked iPhones. Based on our understanding, Apple is saying that if it breaks, they won't support it," Cuenca added.

Cuenca said there is currently no user agreement whenever iPhone owners activate their units.

Local users have started using the iPhone after it became possible to access a local mobile network without using a roaming arrangement with US provider AT&T.

The Apple iPhone, which combines a mobile phone with the company's iconic iPod music player, has not yet been released in Southeast Asia.

iPhones in the US are exclusively available on AT&T's mobile network.

[Maccess]

Sus, somebody tell them this is the Philippine Macintosh Users Group, not the Philippine iPhone Users Group, Inc. (PhilPhogi?)

[berniej]

Hmmmm so that explains the unusual visitor statistics where Visitors outnumber logged on members... I can only imagine the spike in PhilMUG's bandwidth usage because of this.

[maryannemoll]

Yehey! Sana sa TV pa ulit. I always feel amused when I see PhilMUG being accessed from a Windows machine.

[Dave_D]

YES I can see the spike

Akala ko expose' and I was gonna get arrested for hosting the site ha ha ha!

[berniej]

@Dave: Hmmm... boybastos part deux? Di naman siguro... hehehehehe...

[bertoo1960]

wow! philmug is really famous. Let's expect more people to be joining philmug soon.

[hannibal]

i remember an officemate, after getting his unlocked iPhone from me, rushed back to me after a couple of hours, with the 'good news' he had just discovered.

he said, 'hey, check out PhilMUG.ph, they're discussing and unlocking iPhones there. it's a forum for macintosh users and they're crazy about the iPhone. i think they're even featured on TV and in print media. you should check it out, man!'

and i said, 'okay, thanks for the info. will check it out now. what's the URL again?'

[Nickster]

Is this the reference for that article? If so, it hardly qualifies as a "raging debate" as stated in said article.

[penmanila]

sometimes i'm not so sure that's a good idea

Let's expect more people to be joining philmug soon.