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Crackers claim iPhone 3G hack

Tom Espiner ZDNet.co.uk | July 14, 2008 12:26 PM PDT

Summary

The iPhone Dev Team claims to have jailbroken the iPhone 3G, while a former member of the team claims the device has not been unlocked.

Topics

Apple iPhone, Team, PwnageTool 2.0, 3G, Team Management, Cellular Phones, Wireless, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Management, Tom Espiner ZDNet.co.uk, iPhone 3G, smart phones, Apple, cracking, hack
A group of developers has claimed to have cracked the iPhone 3G.

Apple's latest version of the iPhone was released to market on Friday last week. Within hours, the iPhone Dev Team, which cracked the original iPhone, claimed to have hacked the operating system behind the iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0.

The iPhone Dev Team also claimed to have developed a tool, 'PwnageTool 2.0', that will enable users to 'jailbreak', or run unofficial, third-party apps, on their iPhone 3G. In a blog post, the iPhone Dev Team posted a link to a video which they claim shows PwnageTool 2.0 in action.

"Many, many hours have gone into this and now it should be as easy enough for your grandmother to use," an iPhone Dev Team member wrote in the blog post.

PwnageTool 2.0 has not yet been released due to tests aimed at making sure it is "glitch free", the blog post stated.

A report in tech publication Gizmodo on Thursday claimed that not only had the iPhone 3G been jailbroken but that the iPhone Dev Team had managed to unlock the phone, enabling people to use any carrier. At the moment, people wishing to use the iPhone must use O2 in the UK and AT&T in the U.S.

However, a former member of the iPhone Dev Team, George Hotz, who is also known as 'Geohot', claimed in a blog post that the iPhone Dev Team had not managed to unlock the iPhone 3G.

Hotz argued that the iPhone 3G uses a different bootloader to other versions of the iPhone, and there are no existing exploits for the iPhone 3G bootloader.

Talkback Most Recent of 13 Talkback(s)

  • Yet more proof of the iPhone's superior user experience
    Installing iPhone applications not approved by Apple:
    1. Find jailbreak method that works with your phone and your version (if it even exists).
    2. Go through whatever steps are required by the jailbreaker method.
    3. Install app.
    4. Repeat from #1 every time Apple releases an update (assuming the update hasn't bricked your phone).

    Installing WM applications not approved by Microsoft:
    1. Install app.

    I know which one is simpler. happy
    ZDNet Gravatar
    NonZealot
    14th Jul 2008
  • simpler?
    People go through the trouble because of the payoff in usability and experience. These words do not apply to a "simpler" windows mobile phone.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    justit1234@...
    14th Jul 2008
  • Usability and experience
    I can't help but think of Animal Farm whenever I see people spout the "Usability and experience" phrase.

    Four legs good, two legs baaaaad.
    Four legs good, two legs baaaaad.
    Four legs good, two legs baaaaad.

    You state it as fact while not backing it up. Even worse, you don't blink at your argument which basically boils down to: Apple fans accept inferior usability and experience so they can get superior usability and experience. happy
    ZDNet Gravatar
    NonZealot
    14th Jul 2008
  • usability and experience.
    Usability and experience are completely subjective and to say that apple's usability and experience are superior is not a universal truth. I like the usability and experience of Microsoft over apple but i do use apple products. I am just not in the apple cult. NONZEALOT you hit this subject right on the head. good job.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    thehotshotpilot
    17th Jul 2008
  • Sorry: My iPhone? I control it!
    It's that simple...
    Apple and M$ will control my iPhone? No problem, they have to pay for this an amount I'll decide.

    They will control MY iPhone and get paid. No chance!
    What I've paid for is a smartphone, not a service nor a license.
    I decide what to do with my property.

    And when my o.s. will run on my iPhone, Apple has to refund me the money I've paid for their o.s.(I do not need anymore).
    ZDNet Gravatar
    tumblemumble
    15th Jul 2008
  • exactly . . .
    Remember the famous 1983 Mac commercial showing the lemmings marching off the cliff? That's what I see when I read the stories about millions of suckers surrendering themselves to Apple crap.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    pikeman666@...
    15th Jul 2008
  • Wow...
    What world do you live in? You want a refund for not using the 3G OS? I want a sample of the drugs you're on!!! Do you want a refund from the car manufacturer when you get Sirius because you are no longer using the manufacturers radio the way they intended? Wow....
    ZDNet Gravatar
    ColDave
    15th Jul 2008
  • So they unlocked a GSM phone...
    A report in tech publication Gizmodo on Thursday claimed that not only had the iPhone 3G been jailbroken but that the iPhone Dev Team had managed to unlock the phone, enabling people to use any carrier. At the moment, people wishing to use the iPhone must use O2 in the UK and AT&T in the U.S.

    So big deal. I could be wrong, but I thought that in the USA only AT&T and T-mobile used GSM. So an unlocked iPhone wouldn't work with Sprint or Verizon, unless they changed recently.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    dinosaur_z
    15th Jul 2008
  • I see some lame morons
    It's real simple morons....

    If you want to buy an iphone and hack it, more power to ya.. it's your phone.. use it how you like. If you still want the updates Apple provides, then it is YOUR choice to risk installing them just like it is YOUR risk to install unauthorized apps. Apps which could be stealing all your info right under your nose... or just to the left or right depend on which ear you use on the phone.

    If you don't want those risks ( That would be me ) and you plan to install and run Apple updates (me) and don't care to spend hours tweaking and hacking your iphone (me again), then don't...

    Apple sells a product that, cry as some of you might, is far superior to ANYTHING on the market. No one is forcing anyone to play by Apple's rules... Some of us choose to because we have better things to do with our time.

    But stop yer damn crying about it already... No one cares if you don't like the way Apple is selling thier product... The masses have spoken and are continuing to speak. They are showing it by buying iphones and enjoying them tremendously. Go cry to someone who gives a rodents back torso if you don't like it.

    Whaaaa Apple isn't selling thier product the way I want them to sell it.. whaaaa....

    Effin Losers...
    ZDNet Gravatar
    i8thecat
    15th Jul 2008
  • RE: Crackers claim iPhone 3G hack
    This is simply your opinion and has no factual basis at all. I am
    sure that if Apple created the ultimate device and even if Christ
    himself handed it to you you would not take it. I also know that if
    the label had Microsoft on the very same device you would love it.
    Total emotional garbage comment. I use both MS and Apple
    products and enjoying the best of both worlds.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Daves3
    15th Jul 2008
  • ASSUMING FALICIES
    This is a report about a team of crackers whom have claimed to have cracked the iPhone. Your attacks to the author about his disdain of apple is not based on anything in this article. this article is neutral and your claims against the author hold no water in reference to this article. this is a very well written on-topic article.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    thehotshotpilot
    17th Jul 2008
  • RE: Crackers claim iPhone 3G hack
    Yet more proof of the iPhone's "superior user experience" NonZealot | 07/14/08

    There is still many simple things the iPhone can NOT do that it very well SHOULD be able to. Mainly copy and paste text. I bought the 3G iPhone but i still use my BlackBerry on a daily basis due to the fact that it does things the iPhone can't and probably won't ever do. The iPhone isn't the greatest thing yet, and most likely won't ever be.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Gyanos422
    18th Jul 2008
  • RE: Crackers claim iPhone 3G hack
    ...When you sell on the old radio second hand you get some money back.

    At least with a car you have the choice to upgrade the radio. In the same way I would avoid a car with a bad radio you can't upgrade, I will avoid a device with a poor OS which you cant change/upgrade/improve/add custom software to.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    nononononononononono
    19th Jul 2008

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