iPhone update: facts and fiction
By Paul Miller 
posted Sep 28th 2007 2:14PM
posted Sep 28th 2007 2:14PM
Most people with a jailbroken iPhone will end up with a "factory-fresh" iPhone after the 1.1.1 firmware update. Your mileage may vary, and isolated incidents of bricking have occurred, but most people are just going to have a 3rd party-free, AT&T-only iPhone in their pocket when the day is through, and bricking seems to be just as common for a virgin iPhones as for jailbroken ones. As for when we'll have full use of the iPhone again is unclear, but TUAW's Erica Sadun says "don't expect a jailbreak anytime soon," which doesn't seem promising. Apparently the security is going to be a whole lot harder to crack this time around.
As for unlocked iPhones, you should probably hold off for the time being. The most serious problems we're hearing so far relate to iPhone Dev Team's anySIM unlock, which has left some iPhones "bricked" with an "Incorrect SIM" error message (seen above). That's not to say a workaround won't be found in the future, but for now anySIM users should certainly stay away from 1.1.1. SuperSIM and TurboSIM users are also advised not to update, but we have less solid info about that. iPhoneSIMfree users seem to be in fine shape as long as they're rocking an AT&T SIM card -- though that does seem to defeat the purpose of an unlocked iPhone in the first place. Please let us know about your personal experience with the update on an unlocked phone so we can get a clearer picture of the exact damage, but it's probably best for you to restore your phone to to a factory state before 1.1.1 rather than risking it all for our benefit.Update: We've heard that iTunes 7.3.1.3 can restore a bricked phone with the 1.1.1 update. No confirmation yet, but feel free to let us know if it works for you in comments.
Still, there are still plenty of ways you can stick it to the man. For starters, don't upgrade to 1.1.1! There's no telling when the iPhone will be re-hacked at all, and if you're interested in running 3rd party apps or using a non-AT&T SIM then 1.0.2 is where it's at for the time being. If you do feel like sending your pre-1.1.1 iPhone back to a "virgin" 1.0.2 state, there are methods for doing so that will give you a fresh iPhone with all sorts of unlocking and jailbreaking potential, along with providing the "safest" state for your iPhone to be in before a 1.1.1 update if do you choose to perform one. If you are staying away from 1.1.1, naturally be careful to reject any of iTunes' friendly offers to update your phone, and it can't hurt to disable "Check for updates automatically" in iTunes preferences. Apple won't be "pushing" the update on you, so if you do run it and break something, it's your own dang warranty-voiding fault -- though jailbreaking doesn't actually modify anything beyond your software, so you shouldn't have much to worry about as long as Apple doesn't decide to get nasty.
However, should you happen to ignore all these dire warnings and brick your phone in the process, there are reports of Apple Geniuses unbricking iPhones at Apple Stores, despite warnings posted to the contrary, as long as that phone hasn't been unlocked. Even if you have unlocked, it can't hurt to ask, so keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best!
There are also still ways to add your own homebrew (read: free) ringtones to your 1.0.2 iPhone, even when running iTunes 7.4.2. Just pick your poison: iPhone RingToneMaker (Windows), Ringtonator Studio (Mac), or iToner (Mac). Sadly, iToner developer Ambrosia Software says that 1.1.1 breaks this hack, but they're working on a workaround.
Before we go, we'd be lying to you if we said there aren't some legitimate reasons to upgrade, so we'll run them by you real fast -- just in case you needed any more reasons to be conflicted about updating your iPhone.
- iTunes WiFi Music Store (the true promise of a WiFi DAP finally achieved)
- Louder speakerphone and receiver volume (it's about time, we only hope it's loud enough)
- Home Button double-click shortcut to phone favorites or music controls (just like the iPod touch)
- Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space (BlackBerry-style)
- Mail attachments are viewable in portrait and landscape (another one struck off the "duh" list)
- Stocks and cities in Stock and Weather can be re-ordered (ditto)
- Apple Bluetooth Headset battery status in the Status Bar (but it's still a ripoff)
- Support for TV Out (and the joy of paying through the nose for new cables)
- Preference to turn off EDGE/GPRS when roaming internationally
- New Passcode lock time intervals
- Adjustable alert volume
This article liberally sourced the fine folks at Hackintosh, TUAW and the iPhone Dev Wiki. Header image is courtesy of Josh Bancroft, and the chart is courtesy of Wired's Gadget Lab and 9 to 5 Mac.
So does Apple intend on selling apps for their officially closed iPhone. Or is it going to the same old same old for the next two years?
Ask Steve Jobs, he's the wizard calling all the big shots. May he burn in hell if he doesn't start selling application for the iTouch and iPhone, OR unlock it for 3rd applications.
You mean the way games are sold for the iPod on iTunes? Just wait... I'm sure something's in the pipeline.
I am using AT&T and I unlocked my iPhone using the iPhone dev team unlock method and iBrickr. Thursday night I ran the update and everything appeared to go smoothly until it finished and I saw the message "Incorrect Sim".
I immediately drove to the Apple store to see what could be done. After waiting 1.5 hours to meet with a mac genius and claiming to know no such thing about "unlocking" or "hackers" they replaced my iPhone. I believe he did this not because he bought my lie, but because I am a paying AT&T customer.
There was another guy there who was just as rediculous sounding. He bought his iPhone 6 days earlier, clearly unlocked it and never activated with AT&T and feigned innocence. The reps were really trying to help him until they looked at the IMEI screen on the locked phone, and said something about the numbers not being the same as the back of the unit. This really surprised me. But they looked up his phone in AT&Ts system some how and found that it was "activated" with some other service... They weren't making any sense, but it did sound to me like they had been prepped before this because they were obviously making sound judgments about his phone.
They turned him away basically saying that there was absolutely nothing they could do. Permanently bricked iPhone. I honestly felt bad for the guy.
I now have a new iPhone and I am not even thinking about hacking it again. I was LUCKY to have gotten away with only a couple of hours of frustration... not a $600 phone that only dials 911.
@Will
why the hell would you install the update given all the warnings (in press and even as you went through the install process) that your phone could be bricked and knowing that you had an unlocked iPhone?
no offense but that just sounds insane?!?
lol at chart, who actually updated their iphone thinking it would still work.
Another 'update' that I've encountered... if you tap and hold a letter, you get a pop-up-menu with character accents and variations for other languages...
Seriously, Steve Jobs has gone nuts with trying to lock down everything. I don't even think anybody can call themselves the "proud owners" of an iPhone. What good is owning it if you can't use it the way you want to.
Totally agree on this. It is "idiotic" to close the iPhone (or know as I called my phone, "iSuck") to 3rd party applications. Hey Steve Jobs why don't you close the hole Mac platform for 3rd party applications?
I wish most of the iSuck owners and future owners could stop using and / or buying the "iSuck" so Mr. Jobs could keep all his production in stock forever. Yes I know Utopia here.
Agreed. It's the reason I haven't bought (nor will I buy) the iPhone. "Runs OSX" my ass. I just won't buy a computer (which is basically what the iPhone is) that prevents me from running 3rd party and that I cannot develop for myself.
Oddly enough, it's also why Apple lost their dominance in the PC marketplace to begin with. When they became overly restrictive with the developer market (requiring licensing in order to develop Apple products and locking out small-name developers from working on the platform) they lost the people that actually make software (which is the reason people buy computers after all) to the IBM-compatibles - a mistake from which they have never recovered.
It's obvious they did this to stop the 3rd party apps. I honestly loved my iphone in the beginning before I jailbroke it. After ibrickr and all the 3rd party apps, I can't see myself going back to a plain vanilla iphone. I won't be updating anytime soon.
1.1.1 also gives you a choice of alert sounds for "New text message".
FWIW.
I wonder why you can now change the sound for Text Messages, but not for Voicemail, or new mail. Strange.. ehh, I guess its better than nothing.
I haven't added any unauthorized software and the phone is still unusable. Apple is sending me a box it put it in so they can check if I hacked it for themselves. How sweet. 5 days from now I better get a working fun.
Think Different, Think again!
To be fair, most phones accept 3rd party apps. Apple *is* thinking different. It's just not the "different" that hackers and geeks are looking for.
lmao yep it's "Think Different, Get Less"! Most ppl strive to think outside the box, Apple ont he other hand want you to think inside their box and throw away the key! Despite the Palm OS's antiquity I'll stick with my "backward" treo 680 for now lol!
Not going to do much for sales, was thinking of getting one on 9th Nov in the UK but now it looks like back to the Nokia N95
FYI for upgraders:
A friend upgraded his Vanilla 1.0.2 to 1.1.1 but he had a SIM password set. After the update, the phone was stuck in "Emergency Dial" mode. iTunes could not connect, and the phone would not prompt for an unlock password. Even with a valid and functional AT&T SIM (mine) it would not unlock.
What finally worked was the full reset/install (power off, hold down Home, connect the USB cable, reload the software)
I don't know why everyone is bitching so much about this. Apple has stated the facts. If you bought the iPhone expecting to be able to install 3rd party apps or use it on a different network that sounds like your problem, you were told upfront that would not work. If you didn't buy an iPhone and are complaining then just buy a phone that better suits your needs (as this one apparently doesn't). I didn't buy an iPhone at first because I thought it was to expensive for what it is. I didn't complain about the price I just didn't buy one. When they lowered the price though I was now part of the target market.
I have had no troubles with being forced to use at&t or not being able to install 3rd party apps. I knew the deal when I bought the phone, if I didn't like those things I just would have purchased another phone.
Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and many cell phone manufactures all do what Apple is doing with their iPods and iPhones. Please somebody hack your XBox and tell me how long your Live account is valid or hack your Wii or you PSP. All of these products are locked down very hard and the respective companies try very hard to keep it that way. This is just how consumer electronics are. I respect that people want these products to be opened up but why just single the iPhone out or say how crappy Apple is. Pretty much every other consumer electronics maker does the exact same thing. At least apple had the courtesy to warn people before the update came out. Did Microsoft do that before they banned people from XBox Live, or how about Sony with there PSP updates?
People were so quick to get an Iphone they forgot that apple computers is nothing but a producer who uses "coolness" as a gimmick to trick those with lesser knowledge into buying their EDGE-less, poor keyboard having phone based solely on the fact its made to be like an Ipod.
I laugh when I hear about IMac users trying to get PC games.
the thing is, I can 'hack my xbox' and it doesn't disable the thing. it also makes it better (XBMC), the same as a hacked iphone makes the stock iphone look like a joke.
as for xbox live, you're right you can't go on it. but there's also kai, which is a free version./ so i couldn't care less.
options and choice and free will are not to be feared young angry one, they are to be embraced.
People are upset by this because many other PDA manufacturers do allow 3rd party applications. It has become very commonplace in the PDA industry. People are also upset by this because the iPhone was touted as having a very similar OS to OS X, an OS that generally allows "development". People are also upset by this because they've generally come to see Apple as a company who produces fun and innovative products. The iPhone has great potential, and that potential is being hampered by Apple. That's always frustrating for someone who payed $600 dollars for this piece of hardware.
Dude, the iPhone is a phone! Apple should realize that it is a totally different market.
Instead of comparing it to the Wii, Xbox, and PS3, you should compare it to players in the cellphone market and their products.
Samsung, LG, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Blackberry, Palm - they all allow third party apps to be installed in their handsets, and guess what? THEY ALLOW THEIR HANDSETS TO BE UNLOCKED - LEGALLY!
Is it lonely up there on your pedestal? -- Chris G.
I don't get why everyone feels compelled to either complain about the loss of hack/unlock/etc., or complain about the people who complain about the loss of hack/unlock/etc. The latter group is like the bully saying "Nyah nyah!" on the playground to the crying kid with the broken toy.
When I was growing up, I was taught to help my buddies out, offer a hand to help them up rather than kicking them while they're down. Yay for us! At least NOW I know why lawyers and psychotherapists are so rich.
(PS. My iPhone is hacked/modded heavily, and I love it. I liked the XBOX comparison someone made -- XBox + XBMC, etc ended up being far better than anything MS did with the original XBox. I can only HOPE the same is true for the iPhone, or I'll just buy a different phone.)
There's an actual possibility of financial damage to MS from hacked Xboxes, or hacked Wiis and PS#s. What Sony does with the PSP is also hated by a lot of people. Setting aside the qualms about being locked into AT&T (don't like it; don't buy an iPhone in my opinion), no other 'smartphone' OS locks out 3rd party apps. That's the deal breaker for me, and if I'm going to buy a smartphone, I'm not going to buy one where I have to wait for handouts from the manufacturer.
Yeah, except not. I install whatever I want on Windows Mobile. You're comparing a locked down expensive ass phone (not typical) with a closed system gaming console (very typical).
I hear that!
but this is what i have to say in my defense. Apple gets such praise for doing something that someone has allready done, it's high time they get flack for the same thing. They wern't the first, will not be the last, but they are apple, so it's all them.
What a bunch of sheep! If Apple tells you not to unlock the iphone you won't do it. What are you? Steve Jobs Bitch? My iPhone (well, my wife's, I won't use that piece of crap), my PSP and my Xbox are all hacked. And all this update shows is that Apple sucks as much as Sony or Microsoft...
I consider myself an Apple fanboy most of the time and I must say... that was the best written thing I've seen all day. I applaud you.
actually, hacked xboxes are undetectable with a certain mod chip, permanantly, with an external switch, it flips between modchip, and original firmware, activating and deactivating the chip, so the only way to tell is to be physically staring at the xbox and the switch attached to it, same for PSP, you can update the firmware all you want to, all you need to do is flip a switch to switch to the hacked firmware, flip it back to go back, no bricking, no mess, and sony cant stop you, unless they came to your house with baseball bats and destroied your PSP and your hands
Its pretty common sense with psp updates >_>
But actually the PSP is really easy to keep hacked, ya know?
don't know about bitching. there was just that much noise about apple changing the way the cell phone business works and apple making it deliberately easy to unlock the phone and apple benefitting from unlocks. there is actually people who still believe all that!
besides, apple encrypting the file system of iphone/itouch just that owners cannot install 3rd party just doesn't make any sense at all. the solutions were clearly targeted for advanced users who know what they are doing. it's understandable that firmware update erases the hacks, but encrypting the file system to disable any software that isn't apple approved when there is no way to make an apple approved software, that's just abusive.
Just because the trend is to take away customer rights with their own hardware, that doesn't mean we should roll over and accept it. Everyone needs to be vocal and let you opinion be known to all these companies.
Unfortunately, you have presented a gross misrepresentation. The said products and manufactures by using their respective upgrades the products do not stop working. It is the process of hacking that may causes the product to stop working, not the upgrade. These companies try to convince their respective customers from modifying their systems through continued upgrades. It is acceptable for Microsoft to force users of XBox live off their network if a user has a hacked Xbox. It is acceptable for a manufacture to force a used of their network work if they suspect that the product contains unofficial modifications. These manufacture do not make your product useless if it is hacked. This is what Apple is suspected of doing. Microsoft nor Sony has acted in the manner Apple is accused of.
Sorry to break your bubble Mr Tanner, but the blocking of Microsoft Xbox consoles is purely due to the fact that people are putting chipmods in to allow them to copy and use games without paying for them, which is completely illegal.
Apple, on the other hand, are bricking iPhone's to ensure that they can get more money, sell software and ensure that they have full monopoly over everything.
Now, before you go all 'smart-ass' on me, both examples I have cited above share one thing in common: they are set in place to make the company in question more money. However, while Microsoft is trying to prevent piracy of games, to ease lack of profit, Apple are locking down their software to heighten their profit margins considerably.
I'm not sure how the iPhone is going to cope in the EU. They'll certainly be brought before a court against counts of creating a monopolistic device that refuses to be opened to 3rd party developers.
If I had an iPhone, I most certainly would want to get the best and use the product effectively. Consider this; imagine buying a computer and then finding out the only things you can do are: Internet, Email, Contacts, YouTube and Music. You have to use the built-in clients. Want to use Opera rather than the uBrowser? How about installing a plug-in to view a file? Most would consider that as ridiculous.
My Windows Mobile device does more than the iPhone can do. Not everything it can do, but so much more, it offsets the swishy features the iPhone has.
I can't say the iPhone sucks, nor does a Windows Mobile device, but they are both useful in their own ways. If you really need power to run utilities, with a pre-unlocked sim slot to-boot, go for Windows Mobile. If you need those, but want an iPhone, prepare to meet more turns, twists and slopes up towards iPhone freedom.
Thats like comparing Apples to Oranges. Compare Apple's actions and stance to other Phone manufactures. Apple is being hard asses with what users do with an item they bought. When was the last time you heard of Motorola or Nokia acting like Apple is? I run 3rd party applications on my Motorola Q and Motorola doesn't prohibit me from doing so.
The best, most well-informed comment yet.
Yes. Yes indeed. If you don't like the fact that your iPhone is locked, and can't add apps. Find one that can. I can even suggest one off hand. Its called an OpenMoko. http://openmoko.org . The first "consumer" edition will be about in just a few short months. No unlocking to worry about, no firmware update that is going to "Brick" your phone, etc. Its unlocked, and free to use how ever you pleased.
If the hacking community spent its time improving the OpenMoko instead of "working around" Apple. We'd all have a world class pda/smart phone that was unlocked, and ready to go for everyone! Support the OpenMoko project and you'll show the cell caries and phone manufacturers that they HAVE to change to complete.
Dreamer....yeah, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo don't play like Apple, its about creating wealth dude! the customers don't matter, they have to be cheated somehow. Dream on.... (as an example, remember how Sony messed up with computers with their copyright music application? What about Microsoft? Can you read the post here where it tells the story about his procedures during the Windows 95?)................DREAM ON!!
Totally agree. Some of these posters don't realize that this is America where people who have businesses are trying to make money (that's what the whole freaking country is revolving around). Apple is a smart business and the very fact that this creates so much buzz is testament to that. They created the damn thing so they dictate some parameters. As soon as you make something you make those parameters and then bitch about it. As for now if you have an iBrick then suck it up- you can't blame someone else for what YOU did. And if you stop being so demanding of perfection you'll realize that Apple is trying to meet your needs with new updates anyways. Why do people always want everything all at once? What other industry or product gives you that? Let me know so I can get some...
Apple produces Iphone.
Dummies rush out to buy unlocking software.
Apple releases patch.
Dummies lose their iphone to bricking or lose their investment in the software.
man I wish I coulda gotten in on THAT money.
sorry dick, that was for the comment above yours. the comment system seems to have messed up.
"I can 'hack my xbox' and it doesn't disable the thing"
"I can 'hack my xbox' and it doesn't disable the thing" Untrue, if you 'unlock' an Xbox 360 to say, use backup dvds, you will probably be banned from Xbox Live, and in future updates, may find other problems. Neither Apple or Microsoft, nor any other still company still in business, makes these kinds of user-friendly products so that blog-reading goofs can alter and manipulate at will and still covers them with warranties or guarantees their usefulness. If you bought and iPhone or some other product and altered it, either through software or hardware adjustments and it fails, you shouldn't be whining. A fool and his money are soon parted.
This seems to be what the 'hacks' are really saying: "I can modify my product any way I want and it should still work, even if my modifications defeat the manufacturer's intended use."
Apple produces Iphone.
Dummies rush out to buy unlocking software.
Apple releases patch.
Dummies lose their iphone to bricking or lose their investment in the software.
man I wish I coulda gotten in on THAT money.
haaaar!!! I be wantin' that booty too matey, nothin like robbin them pieces o' eight off the squiffies ...
Nice, so when you bought the thing thinking you own it. But it turn out they still owning you. I was thinking about getting the iphone or the itouch down the road but there's no way I'm paiding that high of a price that I don't have the right to use it without many dumb restrictions.
When you buy an iPhone, you sign a contract. Deal with the consequences.
tom you can buy it without signing actually.
I think alot of people are getting bent out of shape a little too much by this. You do own the phone. You own it completely. The hardware, every last piece of it is yours. However, if you install Apple's software, then you've installed Apple's software. In upgrading your firmware, you're letting them dictate what the hardware will do. Your hardware... controlled by Apple's software.
dj-kenpo:
Have you ever heard of a EULA? That's a contract. You sign one whenever you buy a piece of software - including software included with hardware. So, even if you didn't have to sign with a carrier, you still signed a contract regarding the use of the included software simply by buying the phone.
I was ALMOST edging closer to apple fanism... then this. honestly steve needs to be hit with a blunt object.
when I was a kid, with a cd player and punk stickers on it (I was oh so cool) if sony had come to rip them off and slap my hand I would have.. nothing, becuase no one in their right mind would do that.
so you buy something but you didn't buy it?
is this the new world order? pay for something but not own it?
good way to earn new customers. I sir, will not be converting. nokia n95 here I come.
apple has gone off the deep end.
microsoft is getting sued for including IE/WM, apple is getting cheered for itunes/safari inclusion and bricking iphones.
anyone who likes this company is an idiot. and I say that as even I have to fight and resist the urge to even now, go on ebay and buy an iphone..
"is this the new world order? pay for something but not own it?"
No, it's not the new world order, it's called a license.
You don't own software. You pay for permission to use it.
Like it or not, that's the way it is.
Ha. Take a look a music, film or software. You may own the physical reproduction of it, but you never actually OWN the thing itself. You license it. Do IP laws need to be refreshed? Perhaps, but really, it's been like this for decades -- it's not new.
This is one of the reasons why open source came to be. Yet all these hackers prefer to work on and around closed devices with clear terms like the iPhone, instead of open hardware platforms (OpenMoko for one) from companies that actually *want* to support the open source community and their hackin' ways. Really, I don't get it either. Well, I get it as a hobby or a challenge, to deepen one's personal skills. But feeling entitled to break in where you are not wanted for end-user functionality when there are plenty of alternatives, I do not.
Apple makes the best phone with software light years ahead of the competition and with an innovative user interface better than anything else out there. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't understand the cell phone market.
I can kind of understand wanting to control 3rd party apps because frankly it's scary what I can do with my hacked phone.
But I don't understand why they are such anal control freaks that they won't sell unlocked phones for, say, $300 more. Apple would lose the revenue shared with ATT - but I and most other international users are more than willing to make up for that with cold, hard cash. We want to give you money. Hello?!
most people sound like they did not know this was coming from day one, Its true apple should not have targeted the 3rd apps but most of them was not running right anyway, people should worry more about apple getting this thing stable, witch might be the reason apple its not releasing any new apps yet
Wow, I can't believe some people bitching about this. The day I bought this phone I knew I would most likely be staying away from Apple's official updates. My previous smartphone from HP had NO firmware updates to speak off, crashed all the time and no one was complaining. My current phone is unlocked, with all sorts of cool apps running on it and way more fun than that POS from HP.
I'm not an iPhone owner, but doesn't there seem that there should be room for bringing suit against Apple for this. Couldn't you show through a case that by purchasing the product you in fact wholly own that product, and by distributing a update that essentially makes the product "inoperable" they are destroying your property. I mean I know they make you sign a contract, but there has got to be some kind of loop hole here to bring charges against them under "negligence" law or "property" law. ????
@Josh: Apple isn't ruining your device, you are:
1) Apple isn't forcing you to install the update, and they aren't installing it without your permission.
2) Before you update, Apple clearly warns you (in a popup text box) that if you install the firmware update on a modified iPhone, you may ruin your device.
It is simple. You have the right to do what you will with your device, but Apple doesn't have to put out firmware updates that are compatible with your hacks. Until apple forces you to update to use your phone or they update your device without your permission, they are not in the wrong.
"Space bar double-tap shortcut to intelligently insert period and space (Treo-style)"
treo doesn't do that. blackberry's do.
Its unfortunate that apple is opting to go this route. It's going to mean that people like me, who supposedly upgraded from a blackjack to an iphone, are now ready to go BACK to a windows based phone. The iphone is a nice piece of hardware, dont get me wrong, but it was the third party apps that were going to put it "over the top" for me. Now instead, not only is my 4 gigger discontinued, not only did I get the shaft on the price (nice to limit the 100 dollar card so it can't be used for itunes gift cards), but now I'm back to a plain jane iphone. I can see their point in disallowing unlocking...but come ON, why do they care if I play nintendo on my damn phone? It's built on a modified version of OSX...are they going to stop allowing installation of software on their OTHER osX computers as well?
What a crock of hooey.
Ok getting your phone bricked sucks and no gadget fan deserves that. But to all the losers that treat Apple like the holy grail, you needed this lesson in life. Apple is evil plain and simple. They are just like the Microsoft and Sony that you bash. The fact is Apple is making too much damn money, so they dont care about stomping on a few toes. And, things are only going to change at Apple when the wheels fall-off like they did at Sony. Sony is now finally getting their act together again. Just think about all this before you buy your 7th Ipod.
Sigh... what happened to the days of a company giving the customer what it wants? mark my words, corporations WILL be the largest contributing factor in the destruction of human society.
It'll stop when people stop buying what they don't want.
"But Apple, I want an open platform! Here's $400."
Thanks Engadget to such a controlled response to this "bricking". I am now a ex-Gizmodo reader due to the sheer hysteria voiced there (they now recommend against buying an iphone, period). Sorry, when you add 3rd party apps to your computer, and a OS update nullifies it, or worse creates kernal panics, you deal. Why would that be any different with this phone? I am a total Mac fanboy, and still am. The utter joy in making a phone call now makes me wonder why I waited until last week to buy.
Are you freakin kidding me?
When was the last time you heard of a software update disabling software on a PC? I've been using XP for years, and never in my life has a "windows update" caused software that i've installed to stop working, be it MS software, 3rd party, pirated, or even (can you believe it) apple software.
I really don't understand apple's point on this, unless they plan on releasing apps themselves. In which case, fine by me, take away the hacks, no skin off my butt. But if they're not (and it certainly doesn't appear they are), then what's the point?
Oh wait, let me guess...they will have equivalent apps to all the hacks, but only on the new 32GB iphone with 3g and GPS, and only for people who buy them within the first 2 weeks of them being out.
This release has been a joke, and it's unfortunate because I really was starting to think about BECOMING an apple fanboi. Clearly, that plan is out the bloody window.
Dude, MS never locked down your system. In fact in some cases of Windows XP installations where one of its update found out the Registration Keys to be one from their black listed keys, MS simply had a notification appear at the bottom of your screen. IT STILL ALLOWED YOUR SYSTEM TO WORK. Even after they made digital signatures and Microsoft Approved Logos for some softwares, they still allowed the users to install whatever they wanted. NO RESTRICTIONS unless the software itself imposed it. If your machine crashed or OS crapped out after installing a third party software, well its your problem, but MS still didn't stop you from doing whatever you wanted. Steve Cue-ball Jobs actually wants to teleport/download himself into each n every iPhone and make sure everything is the way he wants. The kinda control freak Stevie is turnin out to be, I feel for his wife and kids.
from Novell v. Microsoft antitrust litigation, Novell's allegations against Microsoft:
71. During the development of Windows 95, Microsoft's executives schemed to integrate the browsing functions into Windows 95 in a manner designed to cause the maximum possible damage to competitors. ... For instance, Microsoft intentionally made the use of any browsing technology other than Microsoft's browser a "jolting experience" for its own Windows customers, solely to create the false impression that other browsers were not effective. ...
72. As a result of Microsoft's integration of the browsing functions into Windows, ISVs needed documentation of the browsing extensions to design their applications to perform the most basic file management functions. Microsoft initially documented the browsing extensions in the beta releases of Windows 95 and otherwise appeared to cooperate with ISVs in developing applications for release with Windows 95....
73. Microsoft "evangelized" the benefits of using the browsing extensions. In the early stages of developing WordPerfect for Windows 95, Novell thus devoted significant resources to ensuring compatibility with and otherwise exploiting the benefits of Windows' integrated browsing functions. Further, as encouraged by Microsoft, Novell expended additional resources to expand upon the extensions, providing still greater functionality for its own customers and potentially for other ISVs and their customers. ....
74. In an e-mail dated October 3, 1994, however, Bill Gates ordered his top executives to retract the documentation of the browsing extensions, but only until Microsoft's own developers of the Office suite of applications had sufficient time to work with the hidden extensions to build an insurmountable advantage over competitors such as WordPerfect. Gates further explained that without this advantage, Office could not compete with the major ISVs.
75. In public test versions of Windows 95 released a few months before the final product shipped to consumers, ripped out these programming interfaces without warning to Novell. After Microsoft withdrew the documentation of the browsing extensions, Novell was suddenly unable to provide basic file management functions in WordPerfect; in many instances, a user literally could not open a document he previously created and saved. Indeed, WordPerfect could no longer use the functions that Novell had innovated atop the extensions, while Microsoft Word could still take advantage of such innovations.
76. When Novell asked Microsoft why it removed the Explorer interfaces and browsing extensions, Microsoft claimed that it did not have the time and resources to complete their development. But in fact, the Explorer interfaces and browsing extensions had been complete and functional before Microsoft removed them. ...
77. Thereafter, when Microsoft released Windows 95 and Office 95, at virtually the same time, Microsoft suddenly reversed course and documented the programming interfaces. Doing so voided the alternatives that Microsoft previously forced Novell to expend an entire year developing and, at the precise moment when WordPerfect needed to enter the market, forced Novell to spend additional time designing basic functions of WordPerfect all over again. . . .
83. In addition to withholding technical information, Microsoft created and controlled new "industry" standards and established unjustified certification requirements to delay the release of Novell's applications and to impair their performance for Novell's customers.
From 2004...thats the best you can do?
So, you just proved my point and I do appreciate it. Apple's thinking on this crap is approximately a decade and a half behind the times. Way to go apple!
Mitch
Guys,
When I tried to update the firmware in my iPhone (not jailbreaked/modified/unlocked), it erased all the data, and said that it needed to be restored. i tried to to restore it quite a few times but that didn't work. Re-installing iTunes and restoring didn't work either. For the record, I tried this on a Win XP machine.
I uninstalled the iTunes s/w, deleted the iTunes folder in C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Apple Computer and re-installed iTunes. Then, I could restore the iPhone and upgrade it with the new firmware 1.1.1. Of course, I lost the data on the phone.
Hope this helps those people who were unable to upgrade their "virgin" iPhone and got stuck mid-way.
Cheers,
Praveen
As much as I sympathize with those whose unlocks were ruined by the update, nobody can complain that they have been misled by Apple in this case. There was a contract, an agreement, and legally-binding fineprint that apparently no-one bothered to read. Anyone buying the iPhone in order to hack it knew what they were getting themselves into, it isn't called "jailbreak" for nothing. I won't be buying an iPhone unless my current mobile phone company offers it. It just isn't worth losing sleep over.
so that means if you do not update your phone its not gonna get locked please reply
That is correct. If you don't update the firmware, you're fine. I'd suggest you stop updating itunes too though because at some point you know they'll work it in.
Additionally if you DONT update firmware, you still have the crappy volume problem, and no wifi itunes store.
Apple pretty much has people by the short and curlies on this one...and as far as the 3rd party apps go, I still don't understand why.
Mitch
Another one for the "'duh' list" is granting us the ability to read *everything* in portrait and landscape viewing modes. I dig how there's a lot more space between the keyboard keys (less mistakes) when you're typing in landscape mode on a website. If the thing let's us type in landscape viewing mode while in Safari it's obvious the software/ability is already there, so why can't we view and type with all programs in both viewing modes. Come'on Apple...or one of you talented hackers. And give us a freakin' Flash Player!!!
You guys forgot something in that graphic
1.0.2 MSN/Yahoo/AIM/ICQ Support via ApolloIM lol
My Apollo doesn't do YM...
This is scary on so many levels.
The corporations own you. The fact that you shell out so much money, only so that you'll will locked in a contract with a phone that you cannot fully use without Jobs' consent should be a wake-up call to anyone.
Is it really worth it to have the latest phone? The latest apple product? For me, it's not worth the money.
I can spend the money on a decent Nokia, or even Motorola.
Can we blame Apple? After all, they have a duty to fulfill their obligations to AT&T.
Now their third party apps stance is pretty stupid, IMHO. If they just secretly tested their updates a little to see what they do to third-party apps, they could have their cake and eat it too. People who want third party apps can have them and Apple is totally blameless if the apps make the phone crash a lot.
they never needed to enter into contract with att in the first place, they could just have sold iphone contract free.
they entered into contract with att because they were not satisfied in profits they get for making a phone for $150 and selling it for $600, they wanted more.
= pure greed. why shouldn't they be critized for it?
I want to add to that - greed and stupidity.
All phones are available subsidized and unsubsidized. I fail to see what's so different about Apple's revenue sharing deal because at the end of the day they get a quantifiable amount of money in exchange of locking the phone to AT&T. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER subsidized phone.
Yet other handset makers also always sell an unlocked version of the same phone. If Apple can't do this because of a contract with AT&T then they quite frankly got shafted by AT&T. What Apple has is not better than what others get, it's a lot worse because it limits what Apple can do. Yet, apparently, they are repeating the same mistake in Europe...
My AT&T Samsung Blackjack lets me install any app I want, runs 3G just fine, syncs with my Macs and is an overall great phone. It was $99 on promo at the AT&T online store (re-up with 2-yr deal required, but who cares, I like AT&T)
I used anysim and my phone is now a brink. Help me Dev Team.
Rob
Sorry to hear it Rob. I really hope that apple loses business from this whole scenario. It really is a joke. I understand their desire to prevent unlocking...but it would have been a lot better if they hadn't completely destroyed the phones in doing so. Hopefully the dev team can come up with a response - they've been a step ahead this whole time, looks like this may have caught everyone a little by surprise.
Updated, had an totally unmodified, works nice. I was going to do some 3rd party crap, but not anymore I guess. I like the hell out of the phone as it is. There are a couple of things I want though:
Games - give me a least one damn game please, or something I can buy off iTunes for it.
Hidden video file/photo section with password (would be nice to save on those "spectravision" charges when traveling, if you know what I mean, and still have someone else using my phone not see any hint of that)
Even more handset volume. I want to have to turn it DOWN to avoid ear damage.
Flash support in the browser
IMAP message deletion actually delete from the server...
Weather icon showing the current temp/condition of the first city you got setup.
Option to add more to the "locked" screen (unread mail, weather etc.)
"Mark all read" in e-mail. For that matter "mark all anything"
Shortcut for Wi-fi toggle OR have the ON/OFF toggle on first page of settings, no deeper.
Clock icon show actual first clock entry time.
I had a blackjack and loved it. Ditched it for the iphone, and as it turns out, big freakin mistake.
Can't wait for the blackjack2. Same sort of phone, but with a touch screen (pretty much the only thing I DO like better about the iphone)
Mitch
I just want to say
HA HA !!!!
hokay!
What's the difference between anySIM, iPhoneSimFree and iUnlock. I got my iPhone unlocked with iUnlock (over SSH), but I didn't see them talking about iUnlock. Is iUnlock like a part of anySIM?
Isn't iUnlock = anySim ... with the difference that anySim has a slick GUI ???
I'm not sure! That's what I'm thinking...Can someone please confirm this?
I used unlock.app - because anySim didn't work on my iPhone. So there are some differences between the different apps out there. I don't know iUnlock though...
two words: meizu m8
Everyone, including today's NYTimes is beating up on Apple for disabling illegitimately modified iPhones with the latest software release yesterday. More impactfull than killing "unlocked" phones, they killed all phones with illegitimate third party applications. Step back for a moment...Very few people recall that when "the Mac" first came out in the late 80s, Apple intentionally left off the arrow keys from the keyboard, the ONLY means of navigation for computers in the past. Everyone cried "how can they do this???" and called them stupid and short sighted (I'm sure you can find the articles). In actuality, it was a very well thought out and successful strategy for changing people's behavior. It forced people to learn to use a mouse and changed computing forever.
After using the iPod Touch it is crystal clear that Apple has created a whole new paradigm for computing, not just mobile computing either. Apple simply just doesn't want people building "old world" applications (yet) that would detract from what needs to be habituated to be appreciated. This I presume, is the same reason they don't include "copy" & "paste" functions; Flash and Java, two of the most easy to use programs for building third party apps have also been left off iPhone and Touch. All of these decisions have been equally criticized.
Apple is looking at a much bigger picture, and much more long term. This has nothing to do with protecting revenue from AT&T, there are not enough people who know how to "unlock" an iPod to make any real revenue difference using that logic. That is the easy explanation. The real story I believe is where, and how far are they trying to take this new model for personal computing? What other complaints about Apple are really the foresight of opportunity? What other advances might this new way of computing enabIe? I also think this logic extends into the decision not to jump right into 3G. 3G is too fast. You dont have to learn how to use the shortcuts that are useful elsewhere than browsing. I have not yet seen this view expressed once in the media, perhaps its totally offbase.
You do really have to use the device to see just how game changing this device is. There are things you could not imagine that could be made easier, which they have. Things you didnt even know you needed that after a few days become indispensable.
"Very few people recall that when "the Mac" first came out in the late 80s, Apple intentionally left off the arrow keys from the keyboard, the ONLY means of navigation for computers in the past. Everyone cried "how can they do this???" and called them stupid and short sighted (I'm sure you can find the articles). In actuality, it was a very well thought out and successful strategy for changing people's behavior. It forced people to learn to use a mouse and changed computing forever."
That is just silly, and fairly insulting too. The mouse was a wonderful invention, and nobody needed their arrow keys taken away to see its benefit and learn to use it.
Also, arrow keys and a mouse are a great combination. It's not one vs. the other.
As a ThinkPad user, I especially appreciate the ability to use the "mouse" (TrackPoint or touchpad) together with the arrow keys. So much that I wrote a program called JKLmouse (http://www.jklmouse.com/) that combines them seamlessly. With JKLmouse, any time you hold down a mouse button, you can use either the TrackPoint/touchpad or the arrow keys to move the mouse cursor. Have you ever tried to position something down to the pixel using a mouse or other pointing device? I just use the TrackPoint to move it near where I want it, and then continue with the arrow keys to nudge it pixel by pixel. This makes things so much easier than being limited to only a mouse or only arrow keys.
"Apple simply just doesn't want people building "old world" applications (yet) that would detract from what needs to be habituated to be appreciated. This I presume, is the same reason they don't include "copy" & "paste" functions;"
Are you kidding? Anyone who has worked on a large software release knows how features get cut when it's time to ship. They had to rush the iPhone software out the door and ran out of time!
As far as free ringtones go, I'm using the 1.1.1 firmware, but iTunes 7.4.1, and it's still syncing hand-rolled ringtones made with the extension switching m4a / m4r trick.
Has anyone been able to downgrade back to 1.0.2? I'm thinking something along the lines of take my 1.1.1 to my friend's house. He has iTunes 7.4.1 with iphone 1.0.2. Force mine into recovery mode, then restore it with his iTunes/iPhone software. That should, in theory anyway, push the 1.0.2 software back to my iPhone, right?
Apple has to crack down or AT&T will get mad at them.
It's the same as with Apple's DRM. It's trivial to get around, even for end users (burn a CD, re-rip it) and can be safely removed. Yet, the studios and labels trust it. Apple does a tightrope walk to balance the desires of consumers.
Don't worry.
Gotta hand it to apple, they know how to sell.
Remember a few days ago the rumors of a new touch screen computer, portable, new version of the newton that is supposedly being released first quarter 08? Well, this just set them up to get some sales didnt it. Wanna be able to play games? Wanna be able to modify word docs? Well, I'm sorry, you bought a phone...but here, buy the newton 2008 or whatever they will call it, and all your problems will be solved.
They released the ipod touch to sell more iphones (close price point, but more features on iphone, it aint rocket science). Now they've nerfed the iphone to sell more newtons (or whatever they will call it).
And as with everything else apple, the fanboys will line up around the corner to buy it.
Lame.
So if I were to unlock an iPhone to use it with my current AT&T plan (I don't need EDGE data and I've hit the sweet spot of grandfathered GSM plans from Cingular) would I be fine if I were still using my current AT&T SIM? All it requires is a real AT&T SIM to not be voided, right?
I would just like to add whatever ringtones I want to the Iphone. Charge us a one time fee for the ringtone creator. How many times do I have to pay for the same song. If I want to hear a clip of the Rolling Stones when someone calls I should be able to. I can listen to the song a million times in a row on my ipod/iphone, so why do I have to pay again for a song that I own to hear a piece of it when the phone rings. I paid to have that song on my device. Any song that I have, or that is in the Itunes music store should be able to be used as a ringtone. It's all about greed on Apples part. Most of the other phones allow you to create ringtones from your owned MP3's.