Unlocked German iPhone not working

Don't think Americans understand the concept of the EU! Bit like buying an iPhone In Texas but it being locked in California? Would they be happy then?

Robert Aronson wrote:
Posted before finishing... full post:

"Get it ?" What is that supposed to mean ? Is that the official stand point of Apple or just something you made up ?

Apple has not officially commented, though the trial and error attempts in this user forum seem to point to a country lock.

Europeans are not like Americans. We travel. We go places and buy stuff. It is my right to buy an 'officially unlocked and provider independent' iPhone and bring it back to Holland. There is no other way of saying it, but 'it should work !'

As a client of Apple, I demand a fully functional device !

No one is saying its right - its just the way it is though. From what we have seen by the trial and error attempts it was Apples intention to lock to country.

The sad fact is you can demand a functional device but if Apple truly doesn't want you to do what you are doing they won't fix it.

Robert Aronson wrote:
Posted before finishing... full post:
It is my right to buy an 'officially unlocked and provider independent' iPhone and bring it back to Holland.

This is not a rights issue. You are a consumer if you do not like the product or its rules don't buy it.

There is no other way of saying it, but 'it should work !'

The iPhone does work. Just because it doesn't play into your needs doesn't mean it is not functional.

As a client of Apple, I demand a fully functional device !

Again it is functional.

The bottom line is that Apple did not want it released in other countries or usable with operators they had not approve so did everything possible to lock the iPhone down. If it was a bug, Apple would have fixed it within a matter of days, not weeks (refer to to iLife 08 bugs!)

While my great news above is not based on any information (apart from my own predictions), it is realistic to assume that an update will not arrive this side of 2008. The most likely date for a FW update, is on Jan 15th 08, some time after 8pm CET!

Why?
Steve Jobs has just finished his Keynote address at Macword 08! We have heard about laptops with metallic black enclosures, updates to many Apple systems, maybe an Apple TV update, a possible ultra-portable laptop, NAND Flash drives and timescales for iPhone world dominance (and a 3G iphone)! Its highly unlikely that we'll hear any mention of the new touch sensitive interfaces that Apple have recently patented.

God i so wish Apple had locked the iPhone to individual states in the US! Be a different opinion then!

Of course it would. Its not quite the same thing, though...

No one is saying Apple made the right choice. We are simply saying that this was the choice they made.

Message was edited by: Ansuz82

The questions remains then 'why is it not advertised ?'

Orange F told me that it would work. The websites of Apple and Orange don't tell me anything else !

I can't answer that. All I know is that it wasn't sold in those other countries, nor was it advertised to work in other countries. The consumer base made the assumption that it would work and they were wrong.

It was a valid assumption, mind you, but an assumption none the less.

Orange was mistaken if they told you it would work. Its very possible even they didn't know.

The reality of the situation has been exposed. Its seems likely that if Apple had wanted to fix the error they would have done so by now. This may prove to be a major customer service injury for the Apple brand, but I wouldn't hold out hope for a functional phone.

You need to go back much earlier in the thread. It has been discussed what the issue is.

Also Apple do not advertise the iphone in countries in the EU where it is not sold, so no support yet. The iphone will work in any unsupported country with a sim Card from an official country (assuming the phone is unlocked)

Have a read of Article 28 EC, under the "Cassis de Dijon'case-law"

Question remains then: "why is it not advertised ?"

At the Orange store they told me it would work. The Orange website or Apple website don't tell me the opposite !

By the way Americans don't pay roaming charges when crossing state lines... they should try that also !

Robert Aronson wrote:
By the way Americans don't pay roaming charges when crossing state lines... they should try that also !

That example isn't valid. Regardless of how easy it is to move between countries in Europe they are all still autonomous nations. The US states are not.

While not the same! it is in fact very similar.... many states (countries) sharing borders, and languages and mobile operators! Like someone else said..... we "travel" a lot more.....

Congrats on traveling. Here in the US carriers are country wide, like there, not by individual states. Just because we have a different way of dividing our land, the nation is still entact.

Just because yall are all bundled up together doesn't mean you are one giant nation.

It varys by country there, just like it does here with Canada and Mexico.

I don't argue the similarities but it is still different. Its a question of autonomy. There is no body that has absolute control over the EU nations. There are now laws that, if passed by the EU, effect EU nations without their consent. Each EU nation retains their autonomy, regardless of the ease of travel and trade.

We have a similar arrangement with Canada. Ease of travel and trade. The iPhone won't work there either.

As always ..... you MISS THE POINT UNTIL IT AFFECTS YOU???????

God bless America!