14 DAY TRIAL // Forum users are starting to acknowledge what seems to be a firmware tweak inside Apple's new MacBooks that cripples the primary purpose of the Pwnage Tool. Apparently, Apple is using a custom build of iTunes in the newest MacBooks to discourage jailbreaks.
Gizmodo is pointing out to users over at HowardForums and iPodTouchFans who are reporting problems running the PwnageTool on the new aluminum MacBooks. According to the reports, “[new MacBooks] don't seem to be able to recognize an iPhone or iPod Touch when it is booted into DFU mode, a vital requirement for jailbreaking”.
Everyone agrees that, although Apple's unibody notebooks feature their most conspicuous changes outside the hood, it's the software that has been modified to reject jailbroken devices, says the source. Particularly, Apple is most likely using a custom-built version of iTunes in the newest MacBook line which prevents users from syncing the media player to jailbroken iPhones.
However, the irony of it all is that Windows users can continue using their jailbroken devices as the latest version of iTunes for Windows doesn't seem to include any of the noted changes. Apple can release a new version of the media player for Windows users too, but following these reports, some will be cautious in installing the new software.
In an old blog post, the iPhone Dev team asserted that “Apple can’t fix the bug we’ve exploited in PwnageTool unless they fix their hardware. That hardware fact is still true,” the team explained, “but one way they can try to combat Pwnage for existing hardware is to program iTunes to detect and prevent the Pwnage exploit. In fact, they’ve already done that in iTunes 8 ... The nice thing about iTunes decisions is that we can provide you with patches to counter them,” said the iPhone Dev Team.
It remains to be seen whether or not the folks behind the iPhone jailbreaking tool will be able to work their magic just as well, or just as fast again.