14 DAY TRIAL // With the release of iPhone OS 3.1.2 yesterday, it appears that Apple is again updating the firmware baseband for the iPhone and iPod touch, a move that, according to reports on the Internet, breaks compatibility with the latest jailbreak / unlock tools. Therefore, updating via iTunes will remove any hacks achieved with these tools, the reports suggest. Softpedia does not condone jailbreaking the iPhone, or the iPod touch.
The release notes issued by Apple yesterday said that iPhone OS 3.1.2 contained bug fixes and improvements, including fixes for a sporadic issue that might cause the iPhone to not wake from sleep, an issue that might interrupt cellular network services until restart, as well as a bug that could cause occasional crash during video streaming. The changelog says nothing about “overwriting” the work of the iPhone Dev Team, and nor should it, in what is an endless cat-and-mouse game between the Mac maker and the infamous team of hackers breaking an entry into the iPhone software on a regular basis.
However, apparently, “The update does contain a new baseband version in order to fix the issue, therefore if you have an unlocked iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS, do not update until there is confirmation from a trusted source, like the iPhone DevTeam,” a warning over at CultOfMac reads. “If you’re planning to jailbreak, you should wait as this firmware version is currently incompatible with the latest jailbreak tools.” Not coincidentally, the iPhone Dev Team sings pretty much the same tune.
Just hours ago, Softpedia reported that the team of hackers developing the PwnageTool application for the purpose of jailbreaking and unlocking iPhones had just posted an update on its blog. The post signals that yesterday’s OS 3.1.2 is not supported by PwnageTool 3.1.3 (the latest version of the hack tool), thus, for those using a jailbroken / unlocked iPhone, updating via iTunes is not recommended, according to the team.
Currently, there are two software applications capable of removing iPhone OS restrictions – the PwnageTool and Redsn0w. Both are developed and updated by the iPhone Dev Team, but none is capable of currently breaking iPhone OS 3.1.2.
Softpedia doesn't condone jailbreaking / unlocking the iPhone / iPod touch or any other device. This article has a purely informational purpose and doesn't, in any way, suggest that you should hack your Apple device. Using hacks may render your device unusable, or may reduce the quality of your experience using the respective device. If you choose to download and install jailbreak tools, you will do so at your own risk. Unlocking / jailbreaking your iPhone / iPod touch may violate your warranty or the EULA with Apple and / or your cellular-service provider.