Apple warns against unlocked iPhones

Apple has warned that anyone attempting to unlock their iPhone to use with an unauthorised mobile network could find their phones irreparably damaged.

A few weeks ago, some teenager posted instructions about how to do it on YouTube. Since then, other hacks have surfaced, and the issue has become serious enough that Apple had to issue the warning late Monday against such actions.

The warning is likely to rankle the online community of programmers who have come up with various unlocking programs that permit users to reprogram the phones so that they can work on any wireless network based on the global system for mobile communications, or GSM, technical standard.

The company said that modified mobiles would become "permanently inoperable" once Apple updates were installed, i.e., Users with unlocked iPhones, in theory, might avoid the problems simply by not installing Apple software updates. That means they will then likely have to forgo new features Apple designs for the phones. Apple said its next iPhone-software update will be available later this week and will include the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store, a new capability that will let users wirelessly download songs from iTunes.