Hackers Claim to Revive 'Bricked' iPhones

Hackers Claim to Revive 'Bricked' iPhones

Gregg Keizer, Computerworld
Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:00 PM PDT

It's unclear, however, how permanent any "unbrick" fix will be, or whether changes to the hacks that allow modifications will survive the next Apple iPhone update.

Hackers have come up with at least one way to "unbrick" iPhones disabled by a firmware update Apple Inc. issued two weeks ago, developers of both paid and free unlock software said Thursday.

The iPhoneSIMFree, a commercial venture that was the first to publish a point-and-click unlock hack last month, has announced Version 1.6 of its software, and claimed that it could bring any bricked iPhone back to life. The iPhoneSIMFree hack is sold through a network of online resellers for between US$60 and $99. "SimFree v1.6 release is now capable of completely restoring/repairing software unlocked 'bricked' iPhone[s]," promised the site run by an unknown number of unnamed hackers.

However, another unlock hacking group, the iPhone Dev Team, urged owners of bricked iPhones to sit tight. "Free unlock of 1.1.1 is coming soon," said someone identified as netkas on the Hackint0sh message forum this morning. Hackint0sh is where the Dev Team posts official and unofficial updates to users of its free open-source unlock hack. "Don't know right now about bricked iPhones, but I guess we can reflash them now and back to working state. So, wait a bit and don't use ipsf [iPhoneSIMFree]," netkas added.

The iPhone Dev Team and iPhoneSIMFree have been working feverishly since Sept. 27, when Apple released the 1.1.1 firmware update, to restore bricked iPhones to working condition. Dev Team has also been trying to recover the ability to modify the device with third-party applications.

It's unclear, however, how permanent any "unbrick" fix will be, or whether changes to the hacks that allow modifications will survive the next iPhone update from Apple. (Source: http://www.pcworld.com/)

The Great iPhone Hack, round 3

Tom Krazit
October 11, 2007 9:56 AM PDT

Two weeks to the day after Apple's iPhone software update wiped third-party applications from the device and disabled unlocked phones, the hackers have struck back.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog posted details of the iPhone Dev Team's latest effort, which once again opens the iPhone up to third-party applications and the ability to use it on any other GSM network than AT&T's. This appears to be a more substantial effort than the one posted earlier in the evening that exploits a vulnerability in a TIFF image file; you can bet that one will be patched fairly quickly.

The latest hack allows iPhone users who have already installed the OS X 1.1.1 update to revert their iPhones to the previous 1.0.2 update, "jailbreak" it for third-party applications, and then somehow update back to the 1.1.1 version without the cell door slamming shut. TUAW and iPhone Atlas have tested the latest hack and have declared that it works, assuming you have a certain amount of knowledge of the iPhone's command line interface.

We're not posting links to the actual files you'll need to make this happen, but if you're an enterprising fellow with access to the Internet, I doubt you'll have too much trouble. I downloaded the files, and in a readme file accompanying the patches and guide you'd need to jailbreak your iPhone, the iPhone Dev Team (or NerveGas, Pumpkin, Edgan, drudge, dinopio and asap18) actually posted a disclaimer: "The iPhone Dev Team disclaims any liability of damage to your iPhone as a result of following these instructions. While the instructions listed here are believed to be safe and accurate, there is always a possibility that your iPhone could be permanently damaged." Can you really sue somebody for providing you with a hack that damages your iPhone, even though you're violating your service agreement to install that hack?

Anyway, if you unlocked your iPhone and then installed the 1.1.1 update only to be left with a pretty paperweight, the iPhone Dev Team says their update won't fix your problem. However, the iPhoneSIMFree folks announced Thursday morning that as a result of the iPhone Dev Team's work, they're now able to not only unlock 1.1.1 iPhones but they are also able to unbrick those unlocked iPhones that fell silent after installing the update... (Source: http://www.news.com)

Free unlock/unbrick for iPhone 1.1.1 on the way

Earlier today, iPhoneSIMFree announced that, thanks to the iPhone Dev Team’s jailbreak of iPhone software/firmware 1.1.1 it had created a solution that allows those who used its commerical solution for unlocking the iPhone to upgrade to version 1.1.1 while maintaining unlocked status, along with 1.1.1 unlock solution. The company also announced a 1.1.1 unlock, which the company claims is capable of “completely restoring/repairing software unlocked ‘bricked’ iPhone.”

Now netkas, an administrator on the Hackintosh forums, is stating that a free unlock solution for 1.1.1 that may also work to unbrick phones unlocked under firwmare/software 1.0.2 then updated to 1.1.1 is on the way. He writes:

“We got secpack, so free unlock of 1.1.1 coming soon. Dunno right now about bricked iphones, but i guess we can reflash them now and back to working state. So, wait a bit and don’t use ipsf (iPhoneSIMFree)” (Source: http://www.iphoneatlas.com/)

Rumor: iPhone Firmware version 1.1.2 already in use internally

Posted by James Allan Brady in Apple, Apple Firmware, Apple iPhone

The streets are talking and they say that Apple might already be using the next firmware on their display models. So what’s so wrong with 1.1.1 that they wouldn’t want it used on their display models?

It really does kind of make you wonder. However if this is true, that means that the next firmware update, if its this version, won’t brick your iPhone again because this rumor was floating around shortly before the iPhone Dev Team jailbroken 1.1.1.

Hopefully that’s the case, we don’t need to go through re-hacking the iPhone every few months do we? I mean, how many times does the iPhone Dev Team have to re-invent the wheel before Apple just leaves it alone and hires the iPhone Dev Team? (Source: http://www.myitablet.com/)