Hacking into the future of the iPhone

Back in July, MediaPace (and just about every other newspaper, magazine, blog, internet site – you get the idea) brought you coverage of the highly anticipated release of Apple’s glorious iPhone. The iPhone, carried exclusively by cell phone service provider AT&T, revolutionized hand-held technology, combining a cell phone, iPod, and PDA into one uber-stylish device. 

Nevertheless, while I will agree that the iPhone lived up to its hype, it does have its flaws. Just ask George Hotz, a 17-year-old whiz kid from Glen Rock, NJ. While most high school graduates were out enjoying their last summer before college, Hotz spent the summer of ’07 “unlocking” the iPhone to make it available to cell phone carriers other than AT&T and documenting the entire process on his blog. Hotz successfully hacked into two iPhones, making them almost fully functional on the T-Mobile network. (See, great things do come from Jersey!)

As northern New Jersey’s local paper The Record first reported on the story, Hotz is one of many computer hackers around the world who have been trying to modify the iPhone for use with other carriers. What makes Hotz’s feat unique is that his unlocked phones can operate with a SIM card from any other cell phone carrier without the use of additional parts. Oh yea, and he’s a natural with a soldering iron.

What does this mean for Apple and the future of the iPhone? Not much right now, according to BusinessWeek.  Since the details of Hotz’s hacking procedure have gone public, some fear that a black market of unlocked iPhones will emerge for those who do not currently have access to the phone. However, the process is so difficult that only a very slim number of hackers would be able to pull off the task.  (And really, does anyone have that much free time?) Apple declined to comment, but something tells me that this will not be a huge detriment to the profitability of the growing Apple empire. For now, I will settle for a Blackberry and my iPod until Verizon offers the phone.

So now that George is off to college at Rochester Institute of Technology to major in neuroscience, or “hacking the brain” as he likes to say, maybe he’ll have a minute to crack the password to my neighbor’s wireless network? Just sayin’.

Posted by Jenna Lisanti