Rising number of unlocked iPhones by Zuzana Moravcova

According to the analysis of sales numbers from Apple and AT&T Inc, surprising 1.45 million phones were "missing in action" at the end of 2007. More than a quarter of people are not using their iPhones on AT&T's wireless network, but on other unauthorized ones. It is expected to pressure the company's business model. Despite of saying that the number of unlocked phones was significant, Apple executives declined to give an estimate, but other analysts estimate the number under 20 percent. "Besides the financial implications, we believe the prevalence of unlocked iPhones presents a significant strategic dilemma to Apple," said Toni Sacconaghi, the Bernstein research analyst. Timothy Cook, chief operating officer, thinks that 250,000 of the nearly 1.4 million iPhones sold may have been bought by users with the intention of unlocking them, or modifying the device to work on a network other than AT&T Inc.'s. Some customers have been purchasing five phones at a time at Apple stores in the US, to modify the software that locks the phone to AT&T's service, with further intention to resell the unlocked iPhones overseas. Estimate 10,000 to 100,000 iPhones have been unlocked since the device first appeared on the market in June. Inspite of the last month's software update, which was supposed to make some unlocked devices inoperable, hackers have already developed software to bypass Apple's update and allows the locked phones to operate again. It is easily approachable on the web to find a way to use iPhone on an unauthorized network, or to buy an unlocked iPhone. Great deal for us users, but millions of dollars lost for the inventor.

by Zuzana Moravcova for SigEx Telecom (http://sigex.com)

SigEx Telecom is quickly becoming the leading telebroadcasting communications provider allowing people to easily talk, view, upload and share video clips through free online TV broadcasting, free unlimited global calls, websites, blogs, video-mails and SMS. SigEx Telecom captures many add-on services for its clients generating royalties and fees in a broad spectrum of marketing services including public relations and promotions.