iPhone 3G Unlocked, Software Release on New Years

[MacRumors]

Gizmodo reports that the iPhone Dev Teams has unlocked the iPhone 3G and are planning to release the software on December 31st.

While it took a little longer than the free iPhone EDGE unlock, it does sound like this is the real deal. The team is claiming a successful unlock—now the next step is to package it up in a user-friendly GUI app like Pwnage Tool.

"Unlocking" is the process by which customers can break the SIM-lock that ties the iPhone to one specific carrier. There are a number of caveats to the hack so interested readers should see the Dev Team blog.

Article Link: iPhone 3G Unlocked, Software Release on New Years

[Doctor Q]

Cross-reference to a related news story: Mac OS 10.5.6 Breaks Jailbreaking Tools.

[fishmoose]

Cool i'm on 2.2 firmware with the new baseband so i have to wait a bit longer, doesn't matter to me thou, going to unlock when my contract is out and that's not before 2010 and i figure a hack for the newest firmware are available then.

[RTiii320]

It was only a time until they figured it out.

[alexbates]

This will make everyone happy...everyone except Apple. This will definitely increase the percentage of unlocked iPhones by far, and possibly reduce the amount of Apps sold in the App Store (now that you can download the hacked ipa file for free).

[acvball92]

Originally Posted by alexbates

This will make everyone happy...everyone except Apple. This will definitely increase the percentage of unlocked iPhones by far, and possibly reduce the amount of Apps sold in the App Store (now that you can download the hacked ipa file for free).

It won't upset Apple, it will upset AT&T though.

[Niiro13]

I wonder once AT&T reads this, how fast they'll get Apple to push an update .

[jmann]

Originally Posted by Niiro13

I wonder once AT&T reads this, how fast they'll get Apple to push an update .

The update has already been "pushed" all of the new iphones that come with the 2.2 firmware already installed are out of luck for the unlock that the dev team is releasing. I'm sure AT&T isn't worried at all, because only phones in current use can be possibly unlocked if they haven't updated to stock 2.2. Early adopters have the advantage here.

[LastZion]

while I have a legally unlocked one, its still good to see them finally cracking the code.
well done dev team

[current]

And so I will be able to unlock my iPhone 3G. I live in Europe and travel all the time. What did Apple think I was going to do? Pay ridiculous roaming charges with those bloated, useless mobil providers? So now, all those like me will always hold back on downloading upgrades from Apple fearing the unlock being disabled. So what if someone comes up with a virus? While I love Apple products, I can only hope that Apple gets a big bashing one day for this stupid locking. iPhone locking may prove to be one big boomerang. Just a matter of time till it hits...

[jmann]

Originally Posted by current

And so I will be able to unlock my iPhone 3G. I live in Europe and travel all the time. What did Apple think I was going to do? Pay ridiculous roaming charges with those bloated, useless mobil providers? So now, all those like me will always hold back on downloading upgrades from Apple fearing the unlock being disabled. So what if someone comes up with a virus? While I love Apple products, I can only hope that Apple gets a big bashing one day for this stupid locking. iPhone locking may prove to be one big boomerang. Just a matter of time till it hits...

You can still unlock your iphone if you still have either firmware 2.1 on your iphone or your updated your iphone through pwnage tool and preserved the 2.1 baseband. And as long as you keep tabs on this blog whenever an update comes out you will be safe to update through their safe methods.

[Masquerade]

this confirms that dev team works better than these iphone developers at apple...
come on, where the copy paste and that and that? im getting really mad and its christmas time.

[bizzaregood]

Really copy paste is now all we need. Devteam is all set (expect ipod2g). The iphone is really really good as it is now. Copy paste, and turn by turn GPS, push for apps. and then we have a near perfect phone.... computer?... device.

Idea for developers double tap and drag on 2nd tap, once wanted text is highlighted. lift finger. click a copy button somewhere on the keyboard. Which then turns into a past button and then latter paste. Store the text in a temp file. once the text has been pasted, have the temp file cleared.

[iParis]

Finally.
I suppose this will be a good thing for when I get an iPhone?
At least now they can start working on jailbreakin the 2G iPod touch.

[guzhogi]

When will Apple learn "If you can't beat them, hire them"?

[shiunn]

do you think an used but unlocked 3G will cost more than a new 3G (pay as u go)?
what about new and unlocked 3g? wait...don't have one of those on 2.1

[odedia]

Arn, this really deserves a place on the front page news. Many people in countries who don't sell iPhones officially waited a LONG time for this.

[tonyl]

Originally Posted by guzhogi

When will Apple learn "If you can't beat them, hire them"?

LOL, good point! But Apple won't, Apple is afraid of inside men.

[blurtigo]

Been waiting for this announcement!

Can't WAIT to unlock my Pay-As-You-Go white iPhone 3G and get back on Orange (UK).

O2's coverage is shite, and they are literally RAPING me with Pay-As-You-Go top-ups at the moment =(

Roll on 1/1/09!

[DipDog3]

What good is it? You HAVE to be locked into a contract before they will give you a 3G iPhone.

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Took a friend the other day to get their iPhone 3G PAYG with O2 unlocked at our local O2 store, £10 and two minutes later and now enjoying it with Virgin.

blurtigo, you do know any owned phone (i.e. not in contract, in PAYG you own the handset), the operator has to unlock any phone on request by the customer? Ofcom come down on telcos quite hard over this.

[McGiord]

Originally Posted by DipDog3

What good is it? You HAVE to be locked into a contract before they will give you a 3G iPhone.

There will be people that currently have an iPhone 3G with AT&T contract and can simply buy a 'replacement' iPhone and activate it and sell the old one unlocked.

[McGiord]

Originally Posted by SimonTheSoundMa

Took a friend the other day to get their iPhone 3G PAYG with O2 unlocked at our local O2 store, £10 and two minutes later and now enjoying it with Virgin.

blurtigo, you do know any owned phone (i.e. not in contract, in PAYG you own the handset), the operator has to unlock any phone on request by the customer? Ofcom come down on telcos quite hard over this.

Europe is different.

[Tenorsaw]

I hardly doubt that this will hurt at&t, especially now that T-Mobile's 3G operates on a different band. Also, you are still required to sign a contract in order to get one. Ebay is always an option, but again, in the U.S. you're losing functionality by going with T-Mobile.

[KBenton]

Awesome!

I have the 3g unlocked with a simunlock for 2.1 firmware.

Does this mean i will not need the chip anymore if i unlock the software?