The whole world hopes Steve Jobs is that visionary, because unlocked iPhones will sell like hot bread in every market, just like the iPod. Precisely SIM card interchangeability is the beauty of GSM technology. All of the other critics to the iPhone are just unfair, as this is only version 1.0. Apple has raised the bar a lot. Features will evolve, it is a work in progress, that already delivers more with a simple UI. A true global, carrier independent iPhone is definitely first on my wish list.

Or another possibility is that Microsoft will release a convergance device that brings much of their XBOX Live ecosystem to a mobile device. That means games (including XNA developed conent), music and movies all coming down over a nice fat EV-DO REV B pipe. Once this happens it's anybody's game.

I sure hope I can get an unlocked iPhone soon. There is a very large market for people who don't plan on staying in one place for the next two years. This just isn't fair to those people.

Scott you are right on target, in the long run Apple wants to sell unlocked iPhones, but another side light to the iPhone is the fact everyone of them is a Mac in your hand because of OS X being the operating system inside.

Calling AT&T's network crap is all well and good. The iPhone has caused AT&T to beef up and change their network. The reported 5 year relationship been the new "AT&T" and Apple is showing signs of promise. I think AT&T wants to be pushed to become the largest carrier with the best network and will drop the funds necessary to make this happen during this time. The control issue from the carrier to the consumer is good for all.

The idea that the iphone will generate enough sales to make a significant dent in Verizon's business is absurd. The reason Jobs succeeded with the ipod was more a matter of no competition than anything else. I foresee the ipod being knocked off by competitors by anew genration of users who can't seee any reason to pay Apple's exorbitant profit margins and become a slave to its company store. Aplle has this bad habit, repeated in every device they sell, of trying to control all aspects of user behavior.

Umair finally gets it. After so many previous blog entries harping on about Apple's "closed" iPod+iTunes system, he finally sees that Apple's products are an end-to-end system designed to wow the consumer, and thus give Apple leverage to change an industry. First the iPod (music and even radio industry), now iPhone (cellular industry), and also AppleTV (movie/TV, and cable/TV industries). Umair is wrong on his crack about when Jobs vision started. Umair thinks it is recent. I think its clearly the day he decided to sell iPods for PCs, if not before, when he decided to build out a retain chain for his soon-to-arrive Post-PC devices. The iPod started as a unique feature/ peripheral to help sell Macs. But on that PC day, the iPod took on a new stand-on-its-own role, and iTunes would become the unique feature to help sell iPods, and change the music industry. For this strategy to succeed, Apple needs at a minimum, a dissatisfied consumer, a great product, great marketing (more than just ads), and a great retail/customer service experience. b As for leverage, the iPhone is exclusive to AT&T for 5 years (I wonder when the 5 year period started). Apple is preparing for that day five years from now, and it's even possible that cellular will not be as important anymore, overtaken by ubiquitous wi-max/wifi. Finally, I'd point out that AppleTV (the 3rd screen) is another prong, and it may arrive before the Mac seriously takes on the PC. For now, AppleTV is not wow enough to cause mega-sales, and thus Hollywood is resisting making content (and HD content) available at Apple's terms regarding pricing and other features. But Apple just pulled an end-run by using YouTube to make the AppleTV more attractive to potential purchasers. mark (I responded on Umair's site but my comment hasn't made it pass moderation.)

It's been widely reported that AT&T has the exclusive right to iPhone on its network in the US for a long time--some say 5 years. If this is true, on what basis do you predict that their will be unlocked iPhones any time soon? Please explain.

i think that the iphone needs to change from cingular/at&t an come over to the guys at VERIZON. Cingular sucks an so does the service. I am not paying my hard earned money for an iphone when the service sucks.