Why won't Apple update firmware on current iPhone 5's to support Tmobile?

[ghostface147]

From the filing - "The addition of this UTMS band does not require any hardware changes to the approved device."

This refers to the overall power output, radio interference scope, radiation emitted and other related things. The iPhone didn't change, just one tiny thing inside the Qualcomm chip changed and it doesn't affect the performance of the device in any way that the FCC would have to ask Apple to resubmit the whole phone for another approval. It's a software profile to make it 100% compatible with T-Mobile. The FCC just does a quick check to make sure.

I go back to the nvidia reference. A 650, 660 Ti, 670 and 680 don't each have to go through extensive FCC checks. They're the same minus a certain number of CUDA cores disabled or enabled and different clock speeds. Now once you get to the Titan and 690, then yeah things change significantly (especially since the Titan uses a different revision of the architecture).

 

[ghostface147]

Whatever though, some time this summer I'll just go to an Apple Store and make up some reason to get it swapped.

There's no guarantee what refurbished device you'll get. Some units are months old. For example, my iPhone I just replaced Monday still had 6.0.1 on it. The only way to tell for sure is to take a T-Mobile nanosim and stick it in and see if you get anything past EDGE, provided you aren't in an LTE area or in an area with repurposed spectrum.

Of course none of this matters if you're in an area with LTE and the proper spectrum. I live in Houston and it doesn't matter if I use the current AT&T iPhone 5 or the new one coming out in April. They are nearly complete switching spectrum here and the current AT&T model works on all of their networks in many places. No need for the new model here. Of course I happen to have the Verizon iPhone 5 and it will work on their 4G network here, but it physically doesn't have their LTE bands. Oh well, can't win them all.

 

[natasftw]

The only difference is the firmware. It's the exact same chip inside.

I'm not feeling entitled. I'm just confused! I guess no one looked at my link that has Apple's filing with the FCC that there are absolutely no changes to the device hardware and it is a completely software/firmware change.

From the filing - "The addition of this UTMS band does not require any hardware changes to the approved device."

Alright, let me try to use jailbreaking as an example.

The most powerful exploit is often the bootrom exploit. This is because the bootrom epxloit will exist in the phone permanently. Updating iOS versions will not have an impact on the exploit. This is why the iPhone4 and 3GS always get exploited before the other phones. The exploit is there and known.

In order for Apple to change this would require a level of coding that an update simply cannot accomplish. They halted manufacturing at one point to try to stop the process.

This wouldn't require a new filing. It's not a simple update to fix. Their statement wouldn't be inaccurate. Your phone wouldn't work.

Nobody bothered to read through the whole filing because you were going to be childish and throw a tantrum to get your way whether we read through all of it or not.

 

[eastbayrae]

I believe the hardware is not the issue. OEM's frequently put hardware in the phone that is shut off until software, carriers, etc. are ready for it. Some of the old WP7 phones Nokia made had NFC in them and it was turned off because the OS didn't support it.