Comments on: No Contract, No iPhone for you

By: It doesn’t matter if the iPhone sucks — Shooting at Bubbles

It doesn’t matter if the iPhone sucks — Shooting at Bubbles — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:36:21 +0000

[...] that it runs on a slow as molasses network, it doesn’t matter that you can’t get it without signing a two year locked down contract with AT&T, it doesn’t matter that the iPhone could cost you close to [...]

By: No-Contract iPhone Found in AT&T Press Release - GigaOM

No-Contract iPhone Found in AT&T Press Release - GigaOM — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:26:19 +0000

[...] No-Contract iPhone Found in AT&T Press Release — If you want a 3G iPhone without an AT&T contract, you can get one. Eventually. For $599 for the 8 GB version or $699 for the 16 GB version. [...]

By: Cyndi P

Cyndi P — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:38:50 +0000

I dont understand what you mean because in August I purchased an iphone and I didnt have to renew my contract. It was simple and easy!

By: Bozo Barrett

Bozo Barrett — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 06:19:09 +0000

Jonny Appleseed,

I think the method you described is very interesting. Can you please answer the following. During the entire process of activation, does the iPhone ever communicate back to AT&T. The reason I am asking this is to know if the activation can be done outside the US. I live in India and need to use the iPhone for a web-app we have developed. Your method seems to be the simplest and cleanest I have seen so far.

thanks

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:32:58 +0000

does the map thing, notes, and mail all work? otherwise i’m thinking i’ll just wait for the real 6th gen iPod.

By: Swap out the AT&T SIM card for an expensive WiFi-enabled iPod | Computers,Software,Hardware,SEO,Mac,Apple

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:18:09 +0000

[...] commenter at GigaOm explains how to do that, and increasingly importantly, [...]

By: bryanpearson

bryanpearson — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 19:47:44 +0000

"..., you may be charged the full retail price of the equipment."

You pay for the equipment at the Apple or AT&T store before you sign up for the service. So, that isn't a concern (I don't think).

I just wonder what Apple will do down the line to screw the people that have done the cancellation. If they drop a new firmware update or a OS X:iPhone update, could they brick the phone again?

These are the questions that all of us in the areas that AT&T doesn't cover want to know. I am still considering doing the sign up and cancellation just for the wifi, but I just don't know yet.

By: Jose I.

Jose I. — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:03:18 +0000

Oh oh… Johnny Appleseed’s recipe for using all iPhone features except the phone might cost him $500…

On AT&T Return Policy at:

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/legal/return-policy.jsp

“If you cancel service within the return period but do not return the equipment within the return period or if equipment is not returned in like-new condition, you may be charged the full retail price of the equipment.”

so Johnny may still be charged $500 because he canceled the service without returning the iPhone :(

By: si crees? » Blog Archive » iPhone Hack Round-up: iPhone without mobile service, web-based AIM Client

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:09:56 +0000

[...] pulled off the number one most requested hack, unlocking the phone for use on any network, but a commenter on a GigaOM thread claims to have found a way to use the iPhone without AT&T service, something which was rumored [...]

By: jj

jj — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:03:28 +0000

This statement is backed by such classic bs reasoning: "To match the iPhone WITHOUT it’s Phone features active, you’d have to pony up $800 not to mention add an extra pound or so of additional gadgets."

You hand-picked gadgets to prove your point, instead of looking to see if there were any examples out there to disprove your point. For instance, any high-end PocketPC phone can do everything iPhone does (not necessarily with the same panache, or as well) right out of the box for $400 or less. Add that $100 for 2 x 4gb of memory, fine ... but that's not $800. That's $500 at the most.

For that matter, if you bought a Nokia N800 and memory cards, why would you need the nano? Want a nano? Sure. But need it to replicate iPhone's functionality? No - N800 has a music player built in. So, again, we're looking at $550 at the most by your calculations (n800 + memory + extra battery).

And your argument about PDA functionality is totally bogus. N800 gives you access to installable software and web apps that can provide PDA functionality.

I'm not trying to argue against iPhone. I just hate bad writing.

By: SolSie.com / The Lighter Side of Mobile Technology » Blog Archive » iPhone with no Phone. Yes It is Possible!

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:16:38 +0000

[...] Johnny Appleseed from GigaOM forums gives the reasons that he did it and how he did it: Too expensive anyway without the phone? Think again. You’d need to buy these items to get the same functionality: [...]

By: GigaOM iPhone as a 6G Wi-Fi enabled iPod «

GigaOM iPhone as a 6G Wi-Fi enabled iPod « — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 06:52:28 +0000

[...] to The Unofficial Apple Weblog, it syncs with iTunes without much problems. Johnny Appleseed, leaves a comment in one of our posts, and guides us through the process of activating and canceling the service. [...]

By: Johnny Appleseed

Johnny Appleseed — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:52:14 +0000

You CAN use the iPhone as an iPod, PDA, and WiFi internet tablet WITHOUT the AT&T service. I was fed up with AT&T 2 days after buying the iPhone and was ticked off I'd have to return thinking it'd cut off everything after I deactivated service with them. It doesn't. If you plan to do this, DO NOT PORT YOUR CURRENT CELL PHONE NUMBER IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT. Here's how: 1. Activate the iPhone as required (recommend new phone number) in iTunes. This will UNLOCK the phone and all other functionality. 2. WITHIN 48 HOURS OF ACTIVATION (to avoid being charged the $39 activation fee and $175 activation fee; OR you can do it before the 30th day of activation, still have to pay the activation fee, but at least won't get charged the $175 cancellation fee), contact AT&T customer service and tell them you want to cancel your iPhone's service. YOU WILL BE BILLED A PRORATED CHARGE FOR THE NUMBER OF DAYS YOU WERE ACTIVE (ready to shell out $5-$7?). 3. Once disconnected, the phone, voicemail, and SMS features of your iPhone will no longer work. You'll see "No Service" in place of the AT&T name with no bars shown. BUT all other functionality of the device will work (including WiFi).

Too expensive anyway without the phone? Think again. You'd need to buy these items to get the same functionality:

-8 GB iPod Nano: $250 (doesn't play movies, lacks widescreen, and battery life isn't as good as iPhone) -Nokia Internet Tablet: $400 (only has about 400MB of memory and lasts only 3 hours on battery; so you'll need to buy an extra battery to match the life of the iPhones: ADD $50 and 2x 4GB SD cards to get same memory (but your purchased iTunes music won't work in it): ADD $100 -PDA (since the Nokia & Nano lack comparable PDA of iPhone): $100 (cheapest Palm)

To match the iPhone WITHOUT it's Phone features active, you'd have to pony up $800 not to mention add an extra pound or so of additional gadgets.

So far there aren't any snags and this is working for me. I've even hard-reset the iPhone (by holding down the standby button on top and the home button on bottom for 10 seconds) and removed and reinserted the SIM after cancelling service, trying to find any way that would return the iPhone to it's preactived, iBrick "locked" state. It looks like if you've done the initial activation, even if you cancel AT&T service, it won't be turned back into an iBrick ever again.

By: The Dread Crescendo

The Dread Crescendo — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 07:28:15 +0000

I picked up an iphone yesterday. Only to learn that because I get a corporate discount off my bill, (13%), if I agree to activate this iphone It will eliminate my discount. I was told this was due to an agreement APPLE made with AT&T / Cingular. “APPLE would not allow iphone users any kind of discount.” I’m on a family shared plan with five people. I can not make choices which will directly affect the $ any or all of these people spend , (unless it is to save $). I was told that I could split my line off of the plan, (so I would be alone). But to do so would require the primary acct. holder to authorize it and they would have to run my credit. . . I can not imagine any existing AT&T / Cingular customer, getting any kind of discount, would be willing to go along with this. It’s just crazy.

By: AP

AP — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:52:15 +0000

So we have a visual now of the SIM card slot within this puppy:

check out: http://www.ifixit.com/Parts/images/stream/images_large/9-21.jpg

wouldn’t it be nice eh..to see how quickly this is sim-unlocked and get a VoIP over WiFi client among other things that Apple & AT&T didn’t intend?

By: Nick Hawkins

Nick Hawkins — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 19:56:15 +0000

I’d consider getting this if it wasn’t for the fact that it would be locked to ATT. It will be quite entertaining to see how quickly this is sim-unlocked and what other fun things you can do with it that Apple didn’t intend.