14 DAY TRIAL // According to developer reports, the iOS 5 GM seed from Apple works with non-developer devices, which means anyone can download and install the new software on their supported iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
The list of compatible devices begins with the iPhone 3GS and ends with the iPhone 4S. iPod touch and iPad also accept the IPSWs, but only certain models do.
According to Apple, these are the devices that are compatible with iOS 5: iPhone 4S; iPhone 4 (GSM); iPhone 4 (CDMA); iPhone 3GS; iPad 2 (Wi-Fi); iPad 2 (Wi-Fi + 3G GSM); iPad 2 (Wi-Fi + 3G CDMA); iPad (Wi-Fi); iPad (Wi-Fi+3G); iPod touch (3G); iPod touch (4G).
Lifehacker has the links to all IPSW downloads for iOS 5 GM, as well as for the beta version of iTunes required to apply the software. On both Mac and Windows, users will require iTunes 10.5 beta 7 or higher.
It is worth pointing out that iOS 5 GM may not be the final bits Apple plans to roll out on October 12 to end users. In fact, a GM (golden master) build is developer software, meaning it simply doesn’t belong on any non-developer device. Apple may refuse to service you device if you brick it by installing this software, so consider yourselves warned.
But they say it’s a free world, so if you’re confident in your ability to repair a failed installation, the steps to installing iOS 5 GM are:
1. mount the disk image resulted from the first download (Windows users will need a tool like 7-Zip)
2. find the IPSW file
3. drag it to the desktop
4. open iTunes and connect your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad via USB
5. select your device in iTunes
6. back up your device (very important)
7. go to the "Summary" tab
8. hold down the Option (Alt) key on your Mac / Shift key on your Windows PC and click the Restore button.
9. navigate to where you copied that IPSW file, select it, and give iTunes the go-ahead to install
10. restore your device from backup (optional) to get all your personal content, settings etc. back.