Freelance web and Mac OS X developer Padraig has created a small but useful app for owners of both an iPhone and a Mac. iPhone Backup Extractor not only lets you extract iPhone OS backups created with iTunes, but it also allows you to mess around with their contents just like you would on your iPhone.

“This application converts the iPhone / iPod Touch backups that are created by iTunes into readily usable Mac OS X files,” Padraig says on his SuperCrazyAwesome website. “It is designed to run on Mac OS X Leopard only,” the developer adds.

So, why would anyone need to extract iPhone backups and view them on a computer? Well, extracting application resources is a very helpful ability for developers who need to investigate bugs, for example. Exploring files that are created by third party applications using Finder is another benefit provided by the 606 KB app. Lastly, the tool also comes in handy to those who need to decode the SQLite database files that are stored on the iPhone / iPod touch, such as Call History, SMS messages and Notes.

Even though the generous developer is offering iPhone Backup Extractor for free, donations are appreciated. Padraig emphasizes that users who have improved their business by using the app are especially encouraged to make a small contribution for “future development and maintenance.”

Remember, to download and use iPhone Backup Extractor, you will need to run a version of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. The app is a Universal Binary, meaning both Intel and PowerPC users can run it, as long as the aforementioned requirement is met.

Softpedia Note: you might want to make two separate backups of the current state of your device before giving this app a go. Considering that your hands will be itching to play around with the contents of your backups, it's probably best to keep at least one backup archive intact.

Download iPhone Backup Extractor 1.0 (Free)