Developing: iPhone Dev Team one step away from free unlock?

Now that iPhoneSIMfree is in the wild, the iPhone Dev Team folks that started all this hackery have been looking to see how the iPhoneSIMfree hack works, and seem to have landed upon the solution. Apparently the thrust of what the iPhoneSIMfree folks figured out was that it's possible to write / flash to the baseband of the iPhone -- the chip that controls the main voice and system functions of the phone. Apparently Geohot resorted to his hardware hack because it was believed this couldn't be done. Now that the Dev Team people have observed this flashing in action, they've launched into writing their very own unlocker using the same method, which will naturally be released free of charge as soon as it's ready. All signs point to the free, standalone unlocker being ready soon. On a slightly shadier note, there seems to be a parallel effort to emulate the iPhoneSIMfree server that does the unlocking magic for those currently willing to pay for the privilege. If it's to be believed, the fake server (and free network unlocking) should be ready to go in a matter of hours.

Update 1: The iPhoneSIMfreefree folks have apparently tracked down a willing iPhoneSIMfree licensee to test out the new methods, so it seems we're certainly getting closer to the server spoof method being ready to go.

6:27PM EDT: Turns out that license they thought they'd scored fell through, so they're still on the hunt for a working one to get the server spoof up and running. No real word yet on the standalone software from the Dev Team.

6:35PM EDT: On the standalone front, word is "they are in the process of compiling tools that will make a software unlock possible."

7:32PM EDT: Purportedly the Dev Team has their new standalone unlock working and are making calls with a new SIM. At this point the code still needs a lot of cleanup -- the unlock takes 20 minutes, much longer than iPhoneSIMfree -- and certainly isn't ready for end users yet, but it does appear to be working according to those in the know.

[Brad @ Sep 11th 2007 4:56PM]

WOOT, no more 99$$$ to wireless imports!

[lennydizzy @ Sep 11th 2007 5:57PM]

what kind of plan are you guys planning to use after unlocking? I mean in the US.
which operator provides EDGE also?

[paul34 @ Sep 11th 2007 6:59PM]

I believe T-Mo provides EDGE at the moment. I get EDGE coverage on my Nokia E50 on T-Mobile To Go.

[william @ Sep 11th 2007 9:02PM]

I said this in my post to the 100$, wait two weeks and someone will get it out for free. All this crap from iphonedumbfree is nonsense and I would rather give my 100 dollars to a development team that will release it for free to the public.

[James Ryan Worrell @ Sep 11th 2007 4:58PM]

God please yes. Thanks tho engadget i just paid for my IPSF half an hour ago.

[Daniel @ Sep 11th 2007 4:57PM]

Ohh sounds like gold to my ears...GO Dev..GO...!

[mongoos150 @ Sep 11th 2007 5:00PM]

EXCELLENT news!

[E71 @ Sep 11th 2007 5:00PM]

I guess this is a good way of filtering out the smart folks from the suckers... oh wait, you all bought iPhones...

[Ellianth @ Sep 11th 2007 5:05PM]

That put a smile on my face. But you're gonna get low ranked :p. Oh well, at least you made 1 person laugh. Be proud my friend, be proud!

[garver @ Sep 11th 2007 5:45PM]

Oh how the tides have turned

[Ellianth @ Sep 11th 2007 6:09PM]

lol, i got low ranked for giving a compliment?

@graver: yeah, lol :p.

[Atman @ Sep 11th 2007 5:01PM]

haha, glad i waited this time around..

actually, there was no way in hell i was paying $$ to unlock my phone, seeing as i already have an at&t contract, and need it unlocked only when i go abroad....

[mike honchos @ Sep 11th 2007 5:02PM]

I just gave away 45 dlls !!! :(

:(
:(

[dagamer34 @ Sep 11th 2007 9:56PM]

Patience is a virtue.

[Achal Aggarwal @ Sep 11th 2007 5:02PM]

read at hackint0sh... this is cool... i guess the dev guys thought that apple was smart enough to close this method down...

[a boy @ Sep 11th 2007 5:04PM]

Like it should be.

[Brian @ Sep 11th 2007 5:04PM]

Wow, best news I've heard since the iPhone came out.

I may just buy one now. Are there any 4GB's left?

[Brett Lindsey @ Sep 11th 2007 5:06PM]

yeah i got another 4gig on Saturday from Seattle Orange Store.

[Atman @ Sep 11th 2007 5:06PM]

go to the apple store, check out clearance.....

[sachax @ Sep 11th 2007 5:58PM]

Check ebay... most of them are 4GB, selling for the price of 8Gig :-s

[Brian @ Sep 11th 2007 6:10PM]

@sachax

I'd rather buy a 4G for the price of a 4G, or prefeably cheaper

[patvg @ Sep 11th 2007 5:12PM]

iPhoneSimFree did use for every bit of their "software" code + tools from dev-team
They were dwelling around on IRC and treads, collecting (stealing) information, but not sharing the one and only thing they knew but refused to share : their knowaedge of how to reflash and write to the baseband (a bug, nothing more nothing less)
I took one guy, "guest184" on IRC today, to point that (the existance of the bug) out to people like geohot, guest184 guided a fellow partner "zappaz" in writing reflash for BB ; the free software unlock is in the works, and will be hosted somewhere (in a couple of hours)
The server at iPhoneSimFree is of NO USE, it just checks your IMEI against payment to let you install SIMFREE.app on your iPhone ; the free version will not need that and wiil not do that

This is not a reversed engineered, not a cracked, not a hacked IPSF tool, it is a brand new software (besides, in the IPSF tool/software was nothing new, they stole everything from dev-team) ...

enjoy it to everybody !!!

[Frankenstein Black @ Sep 11th 2007 7:24PM]

"We love you Cap'n Betty"

Signed
Sheen Juarrera Estevez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheen_Estevez

[patrick @ Sep 11th 2007 5:12PM]

Can anyone explain the benefits of having an unlocked iPhone? Just for overseas use? Is it just to get on a different carrier i.e. T-mobile's plan? Will this give it faster internet connection than ATT's inane EDGE network?

[Manuel Anaya @ Sep 11th 2007 5:19PM]

Well, that if you live in the US, but how about overseas?... And to give people the freedom to use a icon phone with the carrier they want, its like buying a car and be restricted to use only SHELL gas stations. Either way i want to unlock my iPhone and used in Mexico.

[patrick @ Sep 11th 2007 7:46PM]

Gracias Manuel!

[Khris @ Sep 11th 2007 5:10PM]

Good things come to those who wait! :D

[anderesp @ Sep 11th 2007 6:34PM]

so just relax and wait for fate....




ohhhh man.

[Santz24 @ Sep 11th 2007 5:11PM]

Hmm i might just buy one too! Does anyone know of a website that imports them to Europe from the US?

[Simon @ Sep 11th 2007 6:46PM]

expansys?

[Chris @ Sep 11th 2007 5:12PM]

But who will give out reimbursements to the people who already paid to unlock their phone?

[Kifwalu @ Sep 11th 2007 5:20PM]

Probably nobody, if you paid you risked this happening (like me, paid and still waiting...) It's all good, I knew what I risked. As long as I get it, I can't say I didn't get what I paid for, just paid too soon.

[Chris @ Sep 11th 2007 5:27PM]

I know this. I was moreso being sarcastic, since thats what just happened with the iPhone itself.

[John Doe @ Sep 11th 2007 6:12PM]

No one reimburses suckers.

[ryan @ Sep 11th 2007 6:30PM]

really?

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/06/steve-jobs-gives-all-iphone-owners-100-back/

(jk...sorta)

[oligo32 @ Sep 12th 2007 6:09PM]

Way to go DEV team and everybody involve in this. I wish everyone else knew that the guys for iPhoneSIMFree used open source software to develop their "crack-unlock" and did not even thank the DEV team or anybody that helped GeoHot develop the unlock method. Sahme on you SIMfree people .l.

[Nelly @ Sep 11th 2007 5:13PM]

Wondering now will Engadget continue to do the Unlocking giveaway?

[Achal Aggarwal @ Sep 11th 2007 5:14PM]

hackint0sh gettin slower... damn...

[Achal Aggarwal @ Sep 11th 2007 5:14PM]

hackint0sh gettin slower... damn...

[Hexxeh @ Sep 11th 2007 5:25PM]

Can I just clarify something? I'm working on the parallel effort. Please don't count the hours till release. I have other commitments and a life, but I am spending all my free time on this. Currently I'm awaiting data but as soon as there is a server up, I'll make sure everyone knows.

Regards,
Hexxeh

[Manuel Anaya @ Sep 11th 2007 5:35PM]

Hexxeh,

I feel you man, i have been watching this team effort. Everyone should be patient and wait, don't rush things, we all have a life. This was an outstanding performance it took a record time, so be patient. Hexxeh release the files after you have spent some real free time.

[jon @ Sep 11th 2007 5:28PM]

Oh no! Stealing from those who stole! As the saying goes, "there's no honor among thieves."

[Diego Rostagnol @ Sep 11th 2007 5:39PM]

this is only the justice, the knowledge must be free, the people at iphonesimfree stole knowledge, they can put his tool, his knowledge and his unlocker in his @#~€|.

bye

[John M @ Sep 11th 2007 5:33PM]

Does anyone know how i can get an NEw emulator on my iphone? Ive got an imac G5 and dont know if any of those tools work for the non intel macs? (i.e ifuntastic,ibrickr etc) Im not into the whole coding/hacking stuff but if anyone has info on how I can get the NES emulator and change my Home Screen and Icons etc...ya know, customize my iphone...also, can you "reset" an iphone for future updates and then reinstall the tools/apps?...any help is greatly appreciated

[FireFox @ Sep 11th 2007 5:33PM]

Sad for the engadget team. Now they needn't to send out that contest for the unlock anymore.

[John M @ Sep 11th 2007 5:36PM]

Sorry to bug yoy Hexxeh....im sure you dont usually explain things to casual users...but, as I said in a post 2 down I want to get that NES emulator on my iphone and change my homescreen with a custom wallpaper .... do you know how I can do this on an iMac G5 (non intel)?

[dj-kenpo @ Sep 11th 2007 6:33PM]

dude, use google, for gods sakes. don't be a knob. the world doesn't revolve around you.

[christian cedeno @ Sep 11th 2007 5:40PM]

Hey I will gladly take the Iphonesimfree software for free. You never know how long this might take. LOL now IPSF will try to take the DEV TEAM to court.

[Common Core 2 Duo!! @ Sep 11th 2007 5:38PM]

Engadget, how about taking one for the team and donating a license to the Dev Team?


#ipsff

[Paul Miller @ Sep 11th 2007 5:59PM]

Sorry, we'd love to help out, and fully support the free unlock effort, but we'd be sacrificing our journalistic integrity in a huge way to give our licenses earmarked for the contest to a "competing" hacking team, after receiving them in good faith from iPhoneSIMfree. We hope you'll understand, and wish the iPhone Dev Team the best of luck!

Paul Miller
Engadget Associate Editor