Windows Phone 7 has only been available for a few weeks and already there’s an unlocking solution available. ChevronWP7 isn’t a ‘network’ unlock; it enables WP7 users to ‘sideload’ applications that aren’t available from the Windows Mobile Marketplace. In addition, it lets users relock the phone after an application has been loaded.
This type of unlocking doesn’t offer the same level of access as so-called jailbreaking but delivers a similar benefit for many users.
The software has been created by three developers working together: Rafael Rivera, Chris Walsh and Long Zheng.
Despite suggestions that ChevronWP7 could permanently disable or ‘brick’ a Windows Phone 7 smartphone, Rafael insists “This is patently false as we use the same exact procedure the official Phone Registration tool uses”.
We’ll be talking about this in next week’s podcast; download it free by subscribing to our RSS feed or finding us on iTunes.