Microsoft extends olive branch to Windows Phone 7 unlockers

By on Dec 1, 2010 at 5:28 PM
mobile December 1, 2010

In an effort to thwart unauthorized efforts to unlock or jailbreak devices running Windows Phone 7, Microsoft took a rather unorthodox approach. Rather than sending idle threats or immediately entering into the endless loop of plugging security holes and watching new ones emerge, the company extended an olive branch to the developers behind ChevronWP7. Microsoft’s Brandon Watson reached out to the ChevronWP7 team, which recently released a Windows Phone 7 unlocking tool, and opened a line of discussion about homebrew app development. As a sign of good faith during the conversations, which could ultimately lead to some kind of homebrew support from Microsoft, ChevronWP7 has agreed to pull its unlocker tool. It seems odd that Microsoft would consider helping developers build apps with capabilities not allowed under Microsoft’s developer terms. Then again, the homebrew community will emerge and grow either way. By working with homebrew developers instead of against them, perhaps Microsoft can maintain some level of control.

Read

Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,
23 Comments

Related Articles

  • http://twitter.com/HighDef Ian

    Very disturbing that they pulled the unlocking tool. If MS were serious about playing fairly, they would have allowed it to remain available.

    • Bullyboyb

      You are a pointless troll who’s idiotic manner knows no bounds. I would hate to have anything to do with you.

      • Nobody

        Wow you sound like an ass

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EVMSMJPNE5BRNSSNG7W6AO2MUQ Chex

        I’m a parrot! *sqaawwwwk!! * :P ~

    • http://twitter.com/mitchellrscott Mitchell Ray Scott

      Very disturbing that you’ll comment on an article you haven’t read. “ChevronWP7 has agreed to pull its unlocker tool.”

  • http://twitter.com/HighDef Ian

    On the other hand, friends don’t let friends buy Windows phones!

    • MrMugagi

      to bad ur a fag!! — michael scott

  • http://twitter.com/2Glock3 C W

    It’s moves like this that make me think Microsoft might have a decent product just yet…

    Now if only people would try it before they hate on it.

    • Anonymous

      once they add copy/paste

      • sirpaul

        It’s coming soon.

  • http://twitter.com/blakemitchell Blake Mitchell

    This is not really surprising. Microsoft was always pretty ok with the Windows Mobile homebrewishness in a wink wink kind of way.

    • http://www.facebook.com/peterf Peter Fares

      What this unlocker did is something Windows Mobile fully supported. The wink wink was the homebrew ROM community, not “unauthorized” apps and ring tones.

  • Stan Winstone

    Think it just demos how desperate Microsoft is to have someone, *anyone* developing for their less than exciting phone OS.

    • http://twitter.com/mitchellrscott Mitchell Ray Scott

      Unlocking a device is not developing for a device. It’s unlocking something that was already developed.

    • Frank Castle

      Oh please hater, if MS were to take the Apple route and crackdown on jailbreaking, Apple fan nuts would say they’re being Apple and People-With-Underdeveloped-Adult-Emotions-Known-As-Android Fanboys would claim ‘droid rulz’ for being open source.

  • Anonymous

    An olive branch is much superior to a a cease and desist letter.

    Hopefully this will actually work out, and be a positive sign to me in regards to WP7. Up until now I’ve been concerned that MS was trending more iOS in OS control. I’d rather they trend more like a bit more curated Android.

  • Anonymous

    It’s pretty obvious that there will be a couple winners and a number of losers in the smart phone space. I see only two winners (iOS and Android). The also rans will be Research in Motion, Nokia, Hewlett Packard, and Microsoft (at the distant rear of the pack).

  • Norm

    Ahhhhh I see M$ is trying to be like Google is with the DROID OS. Very wise, but only one DROID DOES.

  • Eric

    I actually think this is a brilliant move by Microsoft. Apple keeps trying to get around the people who jailbreak IOS, but the jailbreakers get around every attempt. Microsoft can see that they would never win that battle. You might as well work with them instead of against them.

    • Anonymous

      No M$ just knows that Xda single handidly helped them sell thousands of WinMo devices… I would have probaly went BlackBerry if the dev community wasn’t so active a few years ago

  • serpentor

    I like this new MS more and more. They remind me of what Apple was like, who in turn reminds me of what MS was like.

  • Drew

    The problem is MS, has and will always be… a follower. They’ve tried so hard in their attempts at being so much like Apple and what they have done with the iPhone. No multitasking, no copy/paste, no mass storage….etc, etc. Then Apple flipped the script on them with a “pseudo-quasi” multitasking on iOS and then right before launch MS makes an announcement that they will be adding cut/paste in an update. Why the change of heart?? They’ve locked SD cards with the WP7 Focus upon power up and now I hear rumblings about SIM issues with the Venue Pro. Just develop a damn phone already and quit worrying about piracy. You’ve done it with the PC and Xbox. It’s just tired…

    • Mark

      “The problem is MS, has and will always be… a follower.”

      Not that it really matters if one company follows or not, they all do. Apple follows, RIM follows, everyone follows something at some point.

      The idea that a successful company (MS is commonly known to be a successful corporate entity) makes decisions that will ultimately benefit them in the market place should be labeled as “following” is a rather bizarre statement.

      MS knew if they wanted any chance of success in the market, they needed to bring a product to bear before the holiday season. They chose to leave out specific features to do so, at the same time announcing those features will be available as soon as possible. That is a little different than Apple’s stance that those features were unwanted by consumers, or unnecessary. Of course after Apple realized they stood to lose market share due their lack of those features, they worked on making them available.

      Every smartphone these days is launched with some issues. Apple was no stranger to problems at launch. Maybe that is what you were referring to when you called MS a follower?

      As far as piracy, the article was about the MS response to unlocking their locked system. MS has always had a don’t look don’t tell policy when it came to the Homebrew community. I believe this is a much better approach than the heavy handed approach Apple takes. It allows 3rd party innovation, which in turn fuels the demand for their products. It also allows them to cover their asses, and yet maintain a positive relationship with the market they serve.

blog comments powered by Disqus