14 DAY TRIAL // The iPhone is once again locked, as Apple just released its latest firmware update just in time to join the European release of the phone. Version 1.1.2 of the update will also come pre-installed on the handsets available from now on for sale.
The new firmware will be offered as an optional update via iTunes for iPhone owners starting today. Still, it has been available for download until now as well, although it seems rather unusual to see that anyone would be willing to install it early before its release. After all, it means re-locking for the hacked devices and brings only few features interesting enough to make the risk be worth it.
The iPhone 1.1.2 firmware update comes as an optional update via iTunes for the handset's owners. Apple has patched the TIFF exploit that allowed the really simple JailbreakMe.com solution to easily open the phone to third party applications. That was expected to see in the new software upgrade, as the previous iPhone locking has been broken in just a few days by hackers. There are high chances that the same will happen with this new one, although causing somewhat panic among the users that will find their devices bricked by the software improvement.
There are also a few improvements over the previous version, although nothing spectacular. With the 1.1.2 firmware update, the iPhone will be capable of supporting many languages and characters. This proves to be the result of Apple's thinking ahead, as it will make the phone's future global release easier anywhere around the world.
International keyboards are also enabled to complete the new increased language support. Aside from that, there will be no new icons, no voice memos, nothing to make it worth the re-locking risk. That's pretty disappointing, as everyone expected to see Apple try to "hook" iPhone users into upgrading their devices with some great new features, such as GPS. Maybe on the next firmware update.