Lock And Unlock iPhone Screen

 A factory unlocked iPhone can be purchased in many countries around the globe directly from the Apple store, or from Apple on-line. The great thing about an IMEI unlocked iPhone is that it can be used on any network in any country. However these handsets are extremely expensive and a much cheaper alternative, and one that the majority of iPhone owners choose, is to opt for a subsidized handset offered under contract from one of the main cellular service providers. These handsets can cost as little as one fifth of the price of an Apple factory unlocked model of the exact same specification. The only restriction being that the handset can only be used on the network of the carrier that supplied it.

Being able to buy an iPhone at a heavily reduced price sounds like a great idea, right? What if you move to a foreign country and want to use a domestic carrier to save on excessive roaming charges? We don't have to highlight how much you can be charged while roaming overseas. There have been reported cases where people have been on holiday and unwittingly using their iPhones on Facebook or Twitter only to return to an astronomical phone bill! A much cheaper option would be to use a local carrier and only pay domestic cellular and data rates. To take advantage of this option you will need to unlock your iPhone.

iPhone Jailbreak

Before the loophole was closed in 2011, there used to be two different options available to an iPhone unlock. Back in the day it was possible to software unlock an iPhone. Nowadays the only option available is the factory unlocking method. To clarify - an official iPhone unlock is permanent, meaning once it has been applied your phone will never have to be unlocked again. A software unlock, on the other hand, had to be applied each time the phone was turned off and then back on again.

A few years ago there was software available that could trick the iPhones iOS into thinking it was unlocked. It had to be installed into the root directory of the phone's operating system, which meant jailbreaking the device before unlocking. Software installation was a bit of an issue as obviously Apple would not approve unlocking software for sale in its App store. You would need to jailbreak the handset first. This process involves hacking the iPhones operating system to enable unauthorized software to be installed, voiding the handsets manufacturer’s warranty and creating some serious security issue on the device. It is a pretty dangerous activity that not only enables the installation of software, but also offers hackers the ability to access your phone without you knowing. Eventually Apple stopped the software unlock from working and have also concentrated on ensuring they close all security vulnerabilities that were exploited for it to work.

However, the best unlocking procedure is that known as the official unlock. It is impossible to tell the difference between an IMEI unlocked iPhone and once that was purchased as factory unlocked from Apple. You would be mistaken in thinking that Apple would offer their customers an official unlock - they don't. One thing is for certain - Apple are highly unlikely to ever offer the ability to get an iPhone unlocked by them. If they did they would never sell another factory unlock iPhone at the sky high prices they currently charge. Until recently the only way to have an iPhone IMEI unlocked was to try to convince your carrier to do it for you. The majority are understandably reluctant to do so. If you are lucky your network may agree to unlock your phone, but it's highly unlikely.

The great news is that it's now possible for some third party companies to factory unlock your iPhone using the exact same process used by the carriers. What's even more attractive is there are very few limitations imposed by these third party unlockers. As long as your handset isn't reported as lost or stolen, they will unlock it for you. The service offered is identical in every way to the official method provided by the main carriers, so the handset can be updated in iTunes at any time, and once unlocked, the phone can be used on any network, anywhere in the world.

If you want to learn more about iPhone IMEI unlocking or if you have any questions about permanently unlocking your iPhone, please don't hesitate to contact us. At iUnlox we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.