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Carrier specific software for ipsw?

patent10021

patent10021

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
3,563
843
In Japan we can't turn the camera shutter off because the carriers like SoftBank have special settings / file that is downloaded from Apple Japan maybe? Ipsw determined by IP address?

Anyway I cancelled my contract because I'm in North America for a while. My iPhone is now just an iPod.

Since I can still update, restore and everything like a normal iPhone and iPod what would happen if I restore from an American or Canadian iTunes account while I'm in North America?

The non-mutable camera shutter is obviously software controlled since it's just a system sound that can be jailbroken/edited so I'm thinking a restore from within North America at a North American iTunes account should do the trick no?

Or would iTunes see the IMEI number and direct to Japanese iTunes Store?

If I did pull this off then updated apps from the Japanese store would it "brick" the mutable camera shutter making it non-mutable again?
 
IPSW's i think are device specific, not carrier. however, when you activate a phone and it connects to that specific cellular network, it downloads the carrier data relating to that network.
 
dictoresno said:
IPSW's i think are device specific, not carrier. however, when you activate a phone and it connects to that specific cellular network, it downloads the carrier data relating to that network.
Click to expand...
so you're saying my idea will work? Restore is Same as activate? What if I have no SIM and I'm using a non Japanese iTunes Store?
 
i think you will need a sim in the slot in order for it to activate. so the whole idea here is to get the photo noise to silence?
 
dictoresno said:
i think you will need a sim in the slot in order for it to activate. so the whole idea here is to get the photo noise to silence?
Click to expand...
yes but without JBing or editing file system.

So if it is via activation what area is it accessing to change the default camera behavior? It's merely a system file so what if I wipe the phone (completely zero it out) then restore via iTunes USA/Canada?

What if I open it up and disconnect the SIM connector? Thing is even with the Japanese iPods I don't think you can turn the shutter off.
 
patent10021 said:
yes but without JBing or editing file system.

So if it is via activation what area is it accessing to change the default camera behavior? It's merely a system file so what if I wipe the phone (completely zero it out) then restore via iTunes USA/Canada?

What if I open it up and disconnect the SIM connector? Thing is even with the Japanese iPods I don't think you can turn the shutter off.
Click to expand...

you can activate with any valid sim card in the tray if the phone is unlocked. you can silence the camera shutter through a JB app i think.
 
Bacong said:
yeah, the above comment is correct. Just hit the mute switch. I mean, it's a bit annoying, but it's a workaround nonetheless.
Click to expand...

lol omg, do you think if it were that easy I'd be posting this thread?

Please read previous posts. The Japanese carriers disable the muting of the camera shutter.
 
patent10021 said:
lol omg, do you think if it were that easy I'd be posting this thread?

Please read previous posts. The Japanese carriers disable the muting of the camera shutter.
Click to expand...

Your post was unclear; hence the response.

Another option, get a mophie case. The mophie redirects the sound and you can put your finger over the speaker opening on the mophie, effectively disabling the sound from coming through the opening.
 
Some countries prohibit the silencing of the shutter. I'm betting Japan is one of them. Why do you need it off anyway? They obviously don't want you taking pictures of people without them knowing.
 
MattMJB0188 said:
Some countries prohibit the silencing of the shutter. I'm betting Japan is one of them. Why do you need it off anyway? They obviously don't want you taking pictures of people without them knowing.
Click to expand...

If you are in a quiet environment it is disturbing. Not every photo you take us a violation of someone's personal rights. Also tough not to photograph people at a major tourist attraction, but that's another story.

Or use a real camera.
 
MattMJB0188 said:
Some countries prohibit the silencing of the shutter. I'm betting Japan is one of them. Why do you need it off anyway? They obviously don't want you taking pictures of people without them knowing.
Click to expand...
Well it sounds like this would be to use the phone in a country where that is allowed, so a fairly natural question is to see if that might get disabled somehow when used on a carrier that isn't in a country where it's prohibited.

That said, it's likely some low level firmware thing on those phones, so it's not likely it can be changed aside from actually getting a different model phone.
 
patent10021 said:
In Japan we can't turn the camera shutter off because the carriers like SoftBank have special settings / file that is downloaded from Apple Japan maybe? Ipsw determined by IP address?

Anyway I cancelled my contract because I'm in North America for a while. My iPhone is now just an iPod.

Since I can still update, restore and everything like a normal iPhone and iPod what would happen if I restore from an American or Canadian iTunes account while I'm in North America?

The non-mutable camera shutter is obviously software controlled since it's just a system sound that can be jailbroken/edited so I'm thinking a restore from within North America at a North American iTunes account should do the trick no?

Or would iTunes see the IMEI number and direct to Japanese iTunes Store?

If I did pull this off then updated apps from the Japanese store would it "brick" the mutable camera shutter making it non-mutable again?
Click to expand...

Before you ask any/all questions...is your iPhone unlocked? because if its not, what good is it going through all this hassle if its still going to remain an iPod?

Only definite answer is:
- IF your iPhone is unlocked, simply restore it and start it up with a North American SIM in the iPhone. Don't sign in with your Japanese iTunes/iCloud account and see if it makes a difference.

I think the settings would be linked somehow to the carrier profile and not the iTunes/iCloud account it self.
 
patent10021 said:
yes but without JBing or editing file system.

So if it is via activation what area is it accessing to change the default camera behavior? It's merely a system file so what if I wipe the phone (completely zero it out) then restore via iTunes USA/Canada?

What if I open it up and disconnect the SIM connector? Thing is even with the Japanese iPods I don't think you can turn the shutter off.
Click to expand...

If your iPhone is locked to that Japanese carrier you will not be able to activate it or get into the homescreen without a sim from that carrier.
It will not activate with any other sim unless the phone is carrier unlocked.
 
Applejuiced said:
If your iPhone is locked to that Japanese carrier you will not be able to activate it or get into the homescreen without a sim from that carrier.
It will not activate with any other sim unless the phone is carrier unlocked.
Click to expand...
ok that's fine because I don't need to activate it. Just trying to figure out what process in the chain is disabling the muting of the camera shutter that way I might be able to restore using a different Apple store.
 
Region specific restrictions like that are usually tied to the device's country code. Look at the model number, for example the iPhone 4S has a model number of MD270. The same model 4S is sold worldwide. The country code is the last two letters of the model. In the US the country code is LL. So a US 4S would read MD270LL. iOS checks that country code and sets the appropriate restrictions. It is not possible to change the country code, as it is burned into the device's logicboard.
 
patent10021 said:
ok that's fine because I don't need to activate it. Just trying to figure out what process in the chain is disabling the muting of the camera shutter that way I might be able to restore using a different Apple store.
Click to expand...

If you don't or can't activate it you will NOT be able to use the phone at all. Not even as an iPod touch.
It will just be stuck at the activation screen.
Just letting you know. Apple store won't be able to do nothing about it either if it's a carrier specific locked iPhone.
 
Applejuiced said:
If you don't or can't activate it you will NOT be able to use the phone at all. Not even as an iPod touch.
It will just be stuck at the activation screen.
Just letting you know. Apple store won't be able to do nothing about it either if it's a carrier specific locked iPhone.
Click to expand...
what do you mean? I've been using my phone as an iPod only for 6 months. Originally activated in 2010 on SoftBank, I cancelled my contract and kept it as an iPod. I restored to factory settings using iTunes in Japan but I am thinking if I restore using iTunes Canada or USA maybe the camera shutter will be able to be muted?

What is making the iPhone use Japanese settings? The iPhone IMEI? Serial number? By using iTunes Japan to restore/update?

----------
Intell said:
Region specific restrictions like that are usually tied to the device's country code. Look at the model number, for example the iPhone 4S has a model number of MD270. The same model 4S is sold worldwide. The country code is the last two letters of the model. In the US the country code is LL. So a US 4S would read MD270LL. iOS checks that country code and sets the appropriate restrictions. It is not possible to change the country code, as it is burned into the device's logicboard.
Click to expand...
Says MC605J/A. But this code us surely not hardware since as you said is read by iOS. Could I edit that code somewhere permanently by using an iOS file utility?

EDIT: ahh you said logic board.
 
Last edited:
patent10021 said:
what do you mean? I've been using my phone as an iPod only for 6 months. Originally activated in 2010 on SoftBank, I cancelled my contract and kept it as an iPod. I restored to factory settings using iTunes in Japan but I am thinking if I restore using iTunes Canada or USA maybe the camera shutter will be able to be muted?

What is making the iPhone use Japanese settings? The iPhone IMEI? Serial number? By using iTunes Japan to restore/update?

----------

the back says Model A1332. But this code us surely not hardware since as you said is read by iOS. Could I edit that code somewhere permanently by using an iOS file utility?
Click to expand...

Look at point 18.
Intell said:
Region specific restrictions like that are usually tied to the device's country code. Look at the model number, for example the iPhone 4S has a model number of MD270. The same model 4S is sold worldwide. The country code is the last two letters of the model. In the US the country code is LL. So a US 4S would read MD270LL. iOS checks that country code and sets the appropriate restrictions. It is not possible to change the country code, as it is burned into the device's logicboard.
Click to expand...
 
patent10021 said:
what do you mean? I've been using my phone as an iPod only for 6 months. Originally activated in 2010 on SoftBank, I cancelled my contract and kept it as an iPod. I restored to factory settings using iTunes in Japan but I am thinking if I restore using iTunes Canada or USA maybe the camera shutter will be able to be muted?

What is making the iPhone use Japanese settings? The iPhone IMEI? Serial number? By using iTunes Japan to restore/update?

----------
Click to expand...


What I mean is that I hope you have a Softbank Japan sim with you so you can activate it.
Cause it will not activate and let you past the activation screen if you ever restore it or update its firmware.
If you cant activate it then you will not be able to use it as an ipod touch or as anything.
 
Damn near impossible to unlock Softbank! The only outside chance you have is if your iPhone is 8GB. The 16's and 32's are completely shut out.

Even then, it is expensive and takes two weeks, minimum.
I know... I picked up a fairly cheap iPhone right here on MacRumors that was Softbank locked and went all around looking for a breakthrough.

I did order a Softbank SIM off of eBay so I could at least use it as an iPod. I did so until I finally was able to sell it during the Christmas 30% bonus promotion GameStop was running a few weeks back.

I don't miss that iPhone nor the experience!
 
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