First things first. iPhones can be unlocked safely, and no, Apple has no way to somehow 'mysteriously' get into your iPhone and either lock it again or render it useless. However, as a user you have to keep a few things in mind. At the time of this writing, only iPhones that come preloaded with firmware 1.0.2 can be unlocked. The latest firmware released by Apple is 1.1.1 and at this time unlocking iPhones with firmware 1.1.1 is not possible.

That takes us to the next important point. What is your iPhone's firmware version? To check your iphone's firmware version, dial *3001#12345#* on the iPhone. It will show you a screen titled Field Test. At the bottom of the menu items you will see 'Versions'. Tap on 'versions' and another screen will pop up which will list the firmware installed on the phone. If it says 03.14.08_G, then your iPhone is version 1.0.2. In this case, you are fine. Your phone can be unlocked to use with networks other than AT&T.

If after tapping 'Versions', it says 03.12.06_G, then your iPhone's firmware is version 1.0.0. In this case, you can restore your iPhone to the version 1.0.2 first and then perform the unlock procedure. Press and hold 'Home' and 'Power' buttons simultaneously on the iPhone for 30 seconds until "connect to iTunes message" shows up. Launch iTunes. Once in iTunes, while holding "SHIFT" key, in iTunes click restore button and choose file: "iPhone1,1_1.0.2_1C28_Restore.ipsw". If you don't have the file, you can download the file from the website I have mentioned at the end of this article.

Finally, if after tapping 'versions' on your iPhone, if it says "04.01.13_G" (version 1.1.1), then your iPhone currenly cannot be unlocked and you need to wait for an unlock procedure to be devised for that version sometime in the future. Many AT&T stores still have iPhone with firmware 1.0.0 or 1.0.2 in stock. You may want to return the 1.1.1 iPhone to Apple, or your nearby store and get an iPhone with 1.0.2 firmware.

Ok, so now you are at an Apple or iPhone store. You just returned your phone that had the newer firmware and want an iPhone that has the old firmware loaded onto it. So how do you find out what firmware the phone has without opening the sealed box? Afterall, the salesperson is not going to let you open the sealed box unless you committ to purchasing the phone.

So, here's probably the most important trick. Once you have the iPhone box in hand, turn it over and look for a bar code named 'Serial No.'. A typical serial would look like 7U738L46WH5. Take a close look at the serial. Somewhere in the middle there is the letter 'L'. Here is the important point. If the phone in your hand has 8 or a lower digit preceding that L, then you are fine. The firmware on your phone is 1.0.2 or less. If however, the digit preceding the L is 9, then you have the newer firmware.

Using the above technique, once you are sure you purchased an iPhone with the older firmware, you can now go ahead and unlock your iPhone using the unlocking software. At the present time, iPhone cannot be unlocked by using a remote unlock code. You would need an unlocking software to unlock your iPhone.