If France and Belgium can do it, why can't we?

[GTaudiophile]

It is illegal for Apple to sell SIM-locked versions of the iPhone in Belgium and France (and perhaps more places). Why haven't they been sued yet for their practices with AT&T?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

What is wrong about it? It's their choice as far as I can tell, and if anything, it helps allow for competitors to come into the market by partnering with the other companies. Sure, makes it harder for the consumer, but it's the company's choice as far as I can tell.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
It is illegal for Apple to sell SIM-locked versions of the iPhone in Belgium and France (and perhaps more places). Why haven't they been sued yet for their practices with AT&T?

The reason its illegal for Apple to sell SIM-locked versions of the iPhone in those countries is because they have laws on the books that require all phones sold in those countries to be unlocked. The US doesn't currently have such a law so what Apple is doing isn't illegal.

If you want Apple to start selling unlocked phones, the solution isn't to sue Apple, it's to petition your representative to introduce a bill that bans the practice of selling locked phones. Its a practice that's gone on for years (and annoyed people to no end), but Apple didn't start it, they just tagged along.

As for your post though, I'm not so sure your as concerned with unlocking per say, as you are with carrier exclusives. Unlocking the new 3g iPhone wouldn't do the US much good anyway as T-Mobile (the only other US GSM provider) doesn't even support the 3g frequency used on the new iPhone. AFAIK, it would be very far reaching and expensive to require all cell phone companies to make their phones compatible with every possible network.

One might try to say the practice of selling carrier exclusive phones is monopolistic and anti-competitive (bringing up Antitrust arguments), but that only applies when there are no other reasonable alternatives in the marketplace, and well, we all know too well how flooded the market is with tons of different cell phones.

It all comes down to a business decision, and IMO apple hasn't done anything actionable.