14 DAY TRIAL // Hackers playing around with hidden code inside iOS 5 have managed to enable a feature that allows panoramic photography on iPhones. The functionality was not intended for public use, but jailbreakers thought otherwise.
In what may be considered a violation of Apple’s end user license agreement (EULA), iOS 5 customers can jailbreak their iPhones, visit Cydia and download a tool that enables a restricted feature inside the software.
A few hours ago hacker chpwn wrote on Twitter “Just submitted ‘Firebreak’ to Cydia to enable that panorama mode @conradev discovered for everyone, should be out tomorrow.”
Two hours later, he returned with the following tweet: “Firebreak (enable the hidden iOS 5 panorama) is now out in Cydia! (Also, a quick appslide update for Notification Center issues is out.)”
Although jailbreaking has been deemed legal in the United States, using jailbreaks to enable otherwise restricted functionality may fall outside the boundaries of said legality.
The Panorama mode works pretty much as you’d expect it to. The newly-enabled option appears in the Camera menu on iOS 5. Users just select Panorama mode and then move their phone about to capture more than the camera can see when stationary.
The software then stitches the ends together and churns up images like the one displayed to the left (click here for full-res image).
As the high-res photo shows, the feature seems to be incomplete, hence Apple’s decision to hold it back until it’s ready.
If Apple is not only working on bug fixes with iOS 5.0.1, but also new features, the Panorama mode may turn up in future software updates.
Apple is evidently testing the possibility of implementing this in iOS, so it’s only reasonable to assume it will eventually be released to the public.
