Archive for the 'unlock' Category

Get your 1.1.1 iPhone ready for 3rd Party Apps with iDemocracy for Windows

Published
by
eas
on October 25, 2007
in apple, iphone, jailbreak and unlock
. 0 Comments

An automated windows tool called iDemocracy for “jailbreaking” iPhones running the 1.1.1 firmware to allow the installation 3rd party apps has been released.  If you’ve unlocked your iPhone, make sure you “revirginize” it first.

This will allow you to install the latest version of the free AnySIM unlocking tool.

Get You Unlocked iPhone Ready for Upgrade with RevirginizingTool

Published
by
eas
on October 24, 2007
in apple, iphone and unlock
. 4 Comments

Apple froze the code for the 1.1.1 upgrade just before the first unlocks were released.  That, combined with some problems in the coding of some of the unlocks resulted in a lot of unlocked iPhones breaking.  Now there is a RevirginizingTool that will let you fix up your unlocked 1.0.2 iphone prior to upgrading.

This is an advance of some of the earlier methods, but there is probably still some room for improvement.

Unlock iPhone 1.1.1 With New Version of Free AnySim

Published
by
eas
on October 18, 2007
in apple, iphone and unlock
. 0 Comments

At long last, there is a free unlock for the 1.1.1 iPhone firmware. This only works with phones that haven’t previously been unlocked, though they are working on a fix for phones that were unlocked when running 1.0.2 firmware.

The process for installing software on 1.1.1 phones isn’t as polished as we are used to with earlier versions of the firmware, so right now this is for the more determined user.

Update: Tools for simplified jailbreaking of 1.1.1 iPhones to allow easy installation of 3rd party apps like AnySIM have been released for Windows and Macintosh.

Apple Casts Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt Over Unlocked iPhones

Published
by
eas
on September 24, 2007
in apple and unlock
. 0 Comments

I warned you to be cautious about buying an iPhone with the intent of unlocking it for use with another carrier. Today, Apple issued their own warning as the intro to a press release about the next iPhone update, due later this week.

Apple claims that “many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone’s software.”  This is of course pure and unmitigated BS, the only irreparable damage that can occur to the iPhone’s software is Apple screwing up big time and loosing the source code.  The code that the unlock tools change is code that Apple has updated before and will update again.  In fact, I’m sure they will update it in the next release and break the unlocks.

Let’s hope that Apple doesn’t punish some of the iPhone’s biggest, most dedicated fans by actually rendering their iPhone permanently useless.

If you already have an unlocked iPhone, and you want to update, I’d wait until an unlock is available that works with the new firmware, and then, before installing the new firmware, I’d also check out Erica Stadun’s article on how to relock your iPhone so as not to provoke Apple into disabling your iPhone during the update process.

Other Coverage:

Don’t Buy an iPhone to Unlock it.

Published
by
eas
on September 17, 2007
in apple, iphone and unlock
. 6 Comments

It has become easier than ever to buy an iPhone and unlock it for use on a non-AT&T GSM network, but I’ve got 3 good reasons you shouldn’t do it.

  1. Apple will break the unlock in the next update. Both the software and hardware unlocks appear to rely on hacks to firmware for the baseband, the chip that talks to the cellular network. This firmware has already been updated once, and there are strong hints that it will be updated in the next firmware release which will come before the end of the month when they roll out the the iTunes WiFi music store.
  2. Apple will break the unlock in the update after that. The software unlock relies on a buffer overrun bug in the main iPhone firmware. This kind of bug is often a security problem, and will likely be patched when they release features or fix other bugs. (Update: If the iPod Touch is any indication, Apple is going to make it more difficult to get 3rd party apps onto the iPhone, which will complicate any software unlock.)
  3. Apple will release cool new features. Sure, you can pass up software updates, but how long will you be able to hold out as Apple keeps on rolling out cool new features for your phone?
  4. Apple will keep breaking future unlocks with software updates. Chances are that the iPhone hackers will continue to unlock the iPhone each time Apple relocks it, at least for a while. The problem is, we don’t know how long it will take them to do it. More importantly, at some point the best of the iPhone hackers are going to get tired of playing cat & mouse with Apple and move on to work on something newer and cooler.
  5. Apple may be releasing a fully supported iPhone in your country soon. European’s may be able to buy iPhones as early as this coming Tuesday.

You may still decide the risks are worth it to have an unlocked iPhone, but my advice would be to wait and see what happens over the next couple of weeks. Will Apple relock phones? How long will it take the hackers to create a new unlock?