New software that allows iPhone users to unlock the devices for use on any network without having to disassemble them is available online. Hackers have been on the case for 2 months, MacNewsWorld reports, and this week's breakthrough means customers can buy phones directly from Apple and don't have to be tied to a 2-year contract with AT&T.
The unlocking programs, which range from free to around $60 online, disable some of the iPhone's snazziest features, but analysts say they might herald a significant change for the mobile phone industry. If they're legal, that is—some say that a loophole allows such hacking for personal use, but the commercial software's distributors could face legal backlash. (More iPhone stories.)