iPhone Dev Team says Pwnage Tool won't unlock iPhone 3G (for now)

iPhone unlocking is a little more cash-intensive now that Apple and AT&T are all contract-happy with the 3G, but it looks like would-be unlockers will have a little more time to save up those pennies -- the erstwhile hackers on the iPhone Dev Team say that while a forthcoming version of the sadly-named Pwnage tool will activate and jailbreak the iPhone 3G, unlocking is taking a little longer than expected, and they don't want to release the code until it's exactly right. The tool still unlocks first-gen iPhones running 2.0 and allows jailbreak apps to co-exist with the App Store, so if you're desperate to unlock right away, we'd say a first-gen unit is your best bet.

[psxp @ Jul 17th 2008 3:30PM]

cool, so I can use this after upgrading to 2.0 from 1.1.4 on original iphone to unlock it etc?!!

[Ted @ Jul 17th 2008 3:32PM]

Cool, yeah, etc!

[Raheem @ Jul 17th 2008 3:30PM]

It's good news that they're only willing to release safe code. Thanks to all the hackers for all their time and hard work. You fight for us!

[go seki @ Jul 17th 2008 6:21PM]

Actually ..
here in New Zealand you can buy an iPhone 3G without a contract ..

its expensive but cheaper option than the outrageous Vodarape charges..

so its possible that some 3G iPhone may find their way from here or other "free market countries" to the US and other markets where the thinking is screw the consumer. (we also get screwed just via data charges rather than locked into long-term contracts)

cheers - seki

[Lionel @ Jul 17th 2008 11:08PM]

Here in Italy you can get the Iphone 3g without contract (Pay as you go) too.

[Sebastian @ Jul 17th 2008 3:31PM]

What's the purpose of unlocking your 3G anyways? I mean you can't buy it w/out the contract, and since that's all flat rate you're paying for it anyways, so why try to use it on a different carrier?

[Number_41 @ Jul 17th 2008 3:38PM]

It's called canceling contract within 30 days ( or after with ETF ) and keeping the phone...and hopefully not paying absurd fees for it. But..their contract does state an ETF of 175. So, I would cancel it on day 31, pay the ETF and be done with it. I dont know if ATT would send a collection agency after you for the difference of a no-contract iPhone (599/699)

N41

[dzhiurgis @ Jul 17th 2008 3:38PM]

Just because it is contract-free doesn't mean it is unlocked..
And think about roaming and second-hand phones..

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Jul 17th 2008 4:02PM]

@ Number_41,

By law all they can ask for is $175. They made the subsidized price $225 lower than the full retail price, which is probably close to their wholesale price. Sure, some people will do it, but between selling it with contract for the higher price and losing customers or having a few get an iPhone cheaper than retail it's a no brainer. Plus, AT&T isn't that worried about it since Verizon and Sprint are CDMA and T-Mobile 3G is still fledging and will not be compatible with the iPhone's channels.

BTW, you can cancel your contract before the 30-days. just say it's broken or lost, don't return it to the store and you're out of your contract that much sooner.

[Sarig @ Jul 17th 2008 5:53PM]

"BTW, you can cancel your contract before the 30-days. just say it's broken or lost, don't return it to the store and you're out of your contract that much sooner."

That's potentially a bad idea. At least here in Europe on our cell-networks, when you turn on a phone, it also tells the telecompany it's unique ID (serial number or something like that). Which means that if your phone gets stolen, they'll naturally lock the SIM card and send you a new one, but they can also look up (if you don't know the serial number or they don't have it on record) which phone was last used with your SIM card and brick the phone in question.

I don't know if this is done in America, or if it actually bricks the phone, or just blacklists it, but I sure as hell wouldn't take my chances on saying I'd have my phone stolen and hoping to be able to use it afterwards.

[h0mi @ Jul 17th 2008 8:13PM]

Dont report it lost. Your phone will be blacklisted.

[Chris @ Jul 17th 2008 10:48PM]

Just for the record the iphone uses a different 3G band than T-Mobile offers so even if people went through all of this trouble they wouldn't be able to get 3G use of of their iphone on anything other than AT&T.

[waiownsyou @ Jul 17th 2008 3:33PM]

it's*

[phanbouy @ Jul 17th 2008 4:03PM]

Monty Python's Flying Circus!

[StreetStealth @ Jul 17th 2008 6:09PM]

So long's we're doing grammar nazi duty...

According to the Oxford American Dictionary, the word "erstwhile" means "former" (I used to think it meant "hardworking" for some reason too). So unless the Dev Team gave up hacking, they are not erstwhile hackers!

[Backlin @ Jul 17th 2008 7:43PM]

^ Are you Buzz Killington?

[Jesse @ Jul 17th 2008 3:33PM]

Does this mean if I have a 3G iPhone I can Activate without iTunes and put my AT&T sim in with out having an iPhone plan?

[Taylor @ Jul 17th 2008 4:01PM]

No, you still need to unlock to use other ATT sims. My boss has a legitimate, activated iPhone (first gen), and it only accepts the iPhone SIM it was activated with, not his other ATT sims. My iPhone is unlocked and i can use my normal ATT sim (bought my iphone without extending my contract, heh).
-Taylor

[Scikotc84 @ Jul 17th 2008 5:13PM]

@taylor - No you don't, the iPhone 3g will accept any other AT&T sim card out of the box. . Just be careful putting a sim without a data plan in it.

[Taylor @ Jul 17th 2008 5:19PM]

Ooops, my bad, i assumed they did it the same way. Hmm...
-Taylor

[phanbouy @ Jul 17th 2008 5:44PM]

Taylor, do you have to even sign your fucking correction posts with Taylor also, Taylor?

[Y3k-Bug @ Jul 17th 2008 8:16PM]

The iPhone 3G can take any ATT sim, the first gen unit only takes the a certain class of SIM card.

[Pengadget @ Jul 17th 2008 3:36PM]

OMG ENGADGET HOW MUCH DOES APPLE PAY U PER MONTH??? OR PER POST?????

Lets get over the iphone 3g and lets get on with it

[Khris @ Jul 17th 2008 3:39PM]

Don't click on the link if you don't want to hear about it!! It's not like you were clicking on a porn link expecting titties and then Engadget pops up with an iPhone story.

[gb @ Jul 17th 2008 3:43PM]

YOU pay engadget, by clicking on the story and adding a number to the "viewed" stats. Or rather, you get engadget paid. Your comment doesn't register. The fact that you clicked on the article and commented does, driving up their ad revenue. Nice!

[Chris Macdonald @ Jul 17th 2008 3:45PM]

Probably the only reason engadget posts so much about the iphone is because people read it so much..

[Peter @ Jul 17th 2008 3:46PM]

It's a valid point. It's up to engadget how much they post about the iphone or any other topic, but to say that it shouldn't annoy people just because they don't have to click on the link isn't really valid. It's annoying anytime a site seems to have nothing but one topic - everyone needs some variety, and not every tiny detail of the iphone saga is really newsworthy. Anyway, for what it's worth, I think this one is valid, but there were several other "stories" that could easily have been skipped.

[phanbouy @ Jul 17th 2008 3:55PM]

did someone order a WAAAHMBULANCE?

[AppleFanboy @ Jul 17th 2008 3:57PM]

Agreed! Engadget, this is getting embarrassing! Anyone who hasn't seen Engadget before would think it was a tribute website to the fricking iPhone 3G.

I'm sure you've already done your 'iPhone Round-Up' .... shouldn't you be moving on by now?!

[javier.guillermo @ Jul 17th 2008 3:37PM]

Just a question for 3G Iphone users, if you get a 3G Iphone from an AT&T store, let's say you have someone close that is customer of AT&T already and sign the two year contract.... can you "Borrow" the 3G Iphone and slide any AT&T SIM Card or the phone will be locked, not only from other carriers like T-Mobile, but also for other SIM cards except the one that is on the ink deal?

Many thanks in advance,

[Taylor @ Jul 17th 2008 4:02PM]

I just responded above to a similar question so i'll just copy my response here:
No, you still need to unlock to use other ATT sims. My boss has a legitimate, activated iPhone (first gen), and it only accepts the iPhone SIM it was activated with, not his other ATT sims. My iPhone is unlocked and i can use my normal ATT sim (bought my iphone without extending my contract, heh).
-Taylor

[Scikotc84 @ Jul 17th 2008 5:15PM]

@taylor - I just responded to your previous comment notifying you that you are wrong so I'll copy and paste it again. - The iPhone 3g will accept any other AT&T sim card out of the box. . Just be careful putting a sim without a data plan in it.

[elan @ Jul 17th 2008 3:39PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg91oUPDPQQ

[phanbouy @ Jul 17th 2008 3:50PM]

i will not click this rick roll link
it is scratched

[Chris Aubeck @ Jul 17th 2008 4:30PM]

No, it's a low-quality webcam video of some woman with glasses rubbing her ear and going on about the ipod she doesn't have yet. She says "I don't know" quite a lot, which is actually a relief as the video is over 120 seconds as it is.

Riveting.

[Chris Aubeck @ Jul 17th 2008 4:39PM]

No, it's of some woman with glasses rubbing her ear and going on about the ipod she doesn't have yet.

Riveting.

[Chris Aubeck @ Jul 17th 2008 4:41PM]

Hey, how did that happen? Either I'm seeing double or the forum designer was an ass. Maybe both.

[cheng @ Jul 18th 2008 3:57AM]

uh, the woman was actaully a small kid.

[Engadgetluvsappl @ Jul 17th 2008 3:40PM]

OK, when is this shit gonna be released? All I keep hearing is Pwange this, Pwnage that. Release the damned software already.

[Taylor @ Jul 17th 2008 4:07PM]

As they say in their blog, it's only been 5 days and its incredibly impressive for them to already be so close. They had some exploits worked out but they wanted to test them on real hardware first before they released anything. They have already found some bugs and things to work out that would have been potentially damaging, so i'm glad they're being thorough! As they also say in their blog, imagine what a big corporation working on something like this would be doing right about now... Scheduling a "kick-off" meeting to get some work started... Meanwhile these guys are almost done. Because of all the different time zones they are in, they literally haven't stopped working on it since it came out. The effort is really impressive!

That said, i really want it too! I can't wait! :)

Thanks Dev Team!!! :)
-Taylor

[V Langs @ Jul 17th 2008 3:41PM]

activator is pretty dope considering if say you win one (BGR contest anyone?) you don't have to sign at&t's contract.
if you want the data u can pay the 30 bucks yourself.

[SuperSexyErik @ Jul 17th 2008 3:46PM]

I don't think unlocking will be as important anymore. Should be interesting though. I can't wait to unlock my iPod :)

Btw, anyone know why there aren't any anouncements on their homepage? iPhone-dev.org

[phanbouy @ Jul 17th 2008 3:56PM]

you don't have any idea what you're talking about, do you?

[Taylor @ Jul 17th 2008 4:08PM]

http://blog.iphone-dev.org/

[SuperSexyErik @ Jul 17th 2008 4:15PM]

Ofcourse I do.. I've unlocked my iPod touch more times than I can count.

And thanks Taylor :)
May I ask if your a boy or girl? My girlfriend is a girl Taylor :D

[Will @ Jul 17th 2008 11:16PM]

Unlocked your iPod Touch HUH? So now you can use Tmobile with your Touch? Sweet!!! ROTFL

[7on @ Jul 17th 2008 4:32PM]

*head a-splodes*

The iPod isn't locked to AT&T or anybody... infact, the iPod is not a phone... so ... impossible to... unlock

*head a-splodes, again*

[Charlie @ Jul 17th 2008 4:40PM]

"Ofcourse I do.. I've unlocked my iPod touch more times than I can count."

You sure about that ?

[Zak @ Jul 17th 2008 5:04PM]

Erik - either you're incredibly stupid or you're trying to be funny and failing. I hope it's the latter, I really do.

[narutogrey @ Jul 17th 2008 5:26PM]

I think he's sure. I don't know about you, but every time I turn on my Ipod, it says "slide to unlock". Considering how often I use my iPod, I would say I also unlock my iPod quite often...maybe not as much as you iPhone users, but iPod users unlock their fair share every day.