14 DAY TRIAL // Unlocking the iPhone triggers a wide range of possible drawbacks for the users, along with the great advantage of having the liberty to choose the operator the owner likes. Apple wanted to make sure that all those using its handset are aware of them.
Interestingly enough, the producer showed no interest in the profit losses that carriers face because of the intense hacking attempts aimed towards the iPhone. Could it be on account of the fact that Apple has managed to get an important percentage from the revenues that European operators received from the subscribers owning an iPhone?
There's a high chance that the sudden concern for the large scale that hacking the device has reached is actually the company's fear that their profits will drop because many people owning their handset choose to break the contract and switch to another carrier. It didn't seem to bother Apple that much up to this point.
There is no official statement on the terms reached by the producer with European operators, but rumor has it that Apple managed to pull 40 percent from all O2 revenues coming from iPhone owners. In fact, the company relies on this share to make sure that the handset will bring them profit even after its price has been cut down with USD 200.
There's a high chance that unlocked iPhones will stop working once Apple releases their next software update. In fact, it would be a surprise to see them not do anything about the hacking wave when they bring out their third such upgrade, considering the importance that putting an end to this unlocking trend proves to be.
Those people choosing to free their iPhone from the current carrier have had to invest an additional sum of money and have also taken the risk of damaging the phone's software. Moreover, they have lost the warranty on their devices, along with the carrier contract termination. Apple states that the software changes can easily be reversed and advises all iPhone owners to switch back to their original carrier.