iPhone update: facts and fiction
by Paul Miller 
posted Sep 28th 2007 at 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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
FrankTheCrank @ Sep 28th 2007 2:24PM
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?
Homeboy @ Sep 28th 2007 2:31PM
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.
Geoffrey Sperl @ Sep 28th 2007 2:59PM
You mean the way games are sold for the iPod on iTunes? Just wait... I'm sure something's in the pipeline.
Will @ Sep 28th 2007 4:26PM
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.
doctorSpoc @ Sep 28th 2007 11:54PM
@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?!?
Adam @ Sep 28th 2007 2:25PM
lol at chart, who actually updated their iphone thinking it would still work.
PatrickIs2Smart @ Sep 28th 2007 2:25PM
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...
Gurpreet @ Sep 28th 2007 2:30PM
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.
Saxofon101 @ Sep 28th 2007 9:15PM
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.
Don @ Oct 1st 2007 1:45PM
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.
madskillz18 @ Sep 28th 2007 3:17PM
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.
iKstar @ Sep 28th 2007 2:39PM
1.1.1 also gives you a choice of alert sounds for "New text message".
FWIW.
Jason @ Sep 28th 2007 10:19PM
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.
Sean @ Sep 28th 2007 2:39PM
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.
syadasti @ Sep 28th 2007 2:40PM
Think Different, Think again!
bobartig @ Sep 28th 2007 3:44PM
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.
bugmat @ Sep 28th 2007 6:59PM
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!
Brian @ Sep 28th 2007 2:40PM
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
Eli Burke @ Sep 28th 2007 2:45PM
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)
Tanner @ Sep 28th 2007 2:41PM
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?
DickHardknocks @ Sep 28th 2007 2:45PM
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.
dj-kenpo @ Sep 28th 2007 2:52PM
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.
newgalactic @ Sep 28th 2007 2:53PM
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.
jowett @ Sep 28th 2007 2:55PM
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!
PhilJ @ Sep 28th 2007 2:56PM
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.)
John @ Sep 28th 2007 2:59PM
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.
Rich @ Sep 28th 2007 3:03PM
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).
Paragraph @ Sep 28th 2007 3:05PM
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.
Alfredo Octavio @ Sep 28th 2007 3:31PM
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...
Josh @ Sep 28th 2007 3:45PM
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.
Bobs @ Sep 28th 2007 4:09PM
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
Kaemon @ Sep 28th 2007 4:33PM
Its pretty common sense with psp updates >_>
But actually the PSP is really easy to keep hacked, ya know?
sam @ Sep 28th 2007 4:48PM
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.
freakscene @ Sep 28th 2007 5:15PM
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.
Moe Abe @ Sep 28th 2007 5:18PM
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.
Joel Stephano @ Sep 28th 2007 5:55PM
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.
y2julio @ Sep 28th 2007 6:27PM
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.
lharrod @ Sep 28th 2007 7:19PM
The best, most well-informed comment yet.
Jon @ Sep 28th 2007 7:19PM
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.
Saxofon101 @ Sep 28th 2007 9:13PM
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!!
b @ Sep 29th 2007 4:09AM
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...
DickHardknocks @ Sep 28th 2007 2:41PM
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.
dj-kenpo @ Sep 28th 2007 2:53PM
sorry dick, that was for the comment above yours. the comment system seems to have messed up.
M Burke @ Sep 30th 2007 6:19PM
"I can 'hack my xbox' and it doesn't disable the thing"
M Burke @ Sep 30th 2007 6:20PM
"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."
DickHardknocks @ Sep 28th 2007 2:41PM
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.
shak @ Sep 28th 2007 3:02PM
haaaar!!! I be wantin' that booty too matey, nothin like robbin them pieces o' eight off the squiffies ...
LEXX911 @ Sep 28th 2007 2:45PM
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.
Tom @ Sep 28th 2007 2:50PM
When you buy an iPhone, you sign a contract. Deal with the consequences.
dj-kenpo @ Sep 28th 2007 2:54PM
tom you can buy it without signing actually.