macnn/electronista

10/11/2007, 3:30am, EDT

Thursday, October 11th

iPhoneSimFree offers unlock for iPhone 1.1.1

Users can now unlock iPhones running the latest v1.1.1 firmware, despite warnings from Apple that its v1.1.1 update would likely damage (i.e., "brick") phones that were unlocked to run on non-AT&T networks. Following the public release of the first "jail-break" hack for iPhone v1.1.1, iPhoneSimFree has released an updated version of its unlock software for v1.1.1 users that not only works with the v1.1.1 firmware but also can restore "bricked" iPhones, according to the team: "Our sincere congratulations, to the iPhone/ iTouch Dev Team for their brilliant work in finding an ingenious way to jailbreak the 1.1.1 system. This exciting news means we are now able to gladly welcome all SIMFREE unlocked phone owners to UPGRADE to 1.1.1 if they so wish."

Calling it the world's first v1.1.1 unlock solution, the team says it has tested SimFree v1.6 with phones that have the new firmware (Baseband version 04.01.13_G) with "full success," and confirmed that SimFree v1.6 download "is now capable of completely restoring/repairing software unlocked 'bricked' iPhone."

The SimFree v1.6 software is available from various resellers around the world, including the US for prices as little at $60.

Generally, users can unbrick their iPhone by downgrading the software to v1.0.2 system (as per the v1.1.1 jailbreak instructions; however, the baseband firmware will still be the newer 04.01.13_G version). Users must then (1) register the true IMEI (found engraved on the back of the iPhone) with the company's servers through one of its trusted resellers; (2) power down the iPhone and remove the sim card; (3) power up with the sim removed and install SimFree.app 1.6 (simplest method is through apptapp installer, see post below); and (4) follow a tutorial (pdf) to execute the Simfree. app.

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smitch
does anyone...
0
10/11, 7:40am, EDT
really want to depend on a hacker for support? The longer you use their software the more likely you'll have to have them forever to operate your iPhone. Then you'll be griping at Apple when they do release REAL support for iPhone apps that then won't run because of your impatience. Idiots.
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OS2Guy
A hacked iPhone is ...
0
10/11, 8:46am, EDT
going to cost you a LOT more money to use on the Internet - * A hacked iPhone (carrier change) is going to cost you a LOT more money to use on another carrier, if you can even get it to work (I have yet to see a carrier-switched iPhone in the wild) - * A hacked iPhone is not going to survive a single update from an iTunes sync without either "unhacking" (restoring the base image) or turning the phone (cell carrier decoupling) into a useless but attractive lump of technology. - * At this point, developing applications using the iPhone's native Cocoa is not a viable development platform. You have no audience. Your customers would need to be well above the power-user level in order to simply install your software. Your customers would violate their warranty and suffer all three of the previously listed consequences to hacking the phone just to run your software. It just ain't gonna happen.
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ClevelandAdv
Tiff hack.
0
10/11, 9:07am, EDT
The fact that this hole has not been patched already is surprising. When the record labels find out that people are again using the music they paid for as ringtones without giving them more, they will pressure Apple to fix it lickity-split.

iPhone update 1.1.2 will be out in the next few days.
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dliup
Re: os2guy
0
10/11, 10:58am, EDT
If you don't want to do anything to your iPhone, then don't.

For the people who do not live in the US (currently the only country which iPhone is released), the only way they can get iPhone is to get it quote hacked. Apple gets paid either way, and it does not affect unhacked iPhones, so why do you care what someone else do to their device? Do you call up the condo association if the neighbor's walls are 1% different than an "approved" paint?
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apple4ever
Damage?
0
10/11, 1:54pm, EDT
But I thought it caused permanent damage!!! Oh wait, Apple lied- its software and it can't cause damage.
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