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Dev Team demos yellowsn0w iPhone unlock

updated 09:30 am EST, Mon December 22, 2008

yellowsn0w unlock video

The unofficial iPhone Dev Team has released a video demonstrating its upcoming software unlock for the iPhone 3G. Dubbed "yellowsn0w," the hack is said to be relatively simple and quick to run; after substituting an iPhone-specific SIM card for one from an unofficial carrier, users launch the appropriate app or root code, which checks for baseband vulnerability before making necessary changes. When a phone is ready, the carrier identifier in the upper-left corner should switch over.

The finished version of the hack should be available by New Year's Eve, and will be the first software-based unlock for the iPhone 3G. Although the original 2G iPhone was unlocked within weeks, it has taken several months to achieve a 3G unlock, due in part to increased security measures from Apple. The blocks were meant to reduce the impact of a flourishing gray market; the proliferation of legal sales in dozens of countries may have reduced this threat, however, along with a switch from revenue sharing to a subsidy model.

 
Previous Comments

Gooooood!!!

12/22, 03:10pm (1 reply) reply

Apple suckx, they will eventually force you to eat only what they want you to eat eventually tooo, only a matter of time!

NO FIREWIRE = EPIC FAIL

RIP Apple... as in rest in piss.

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

-6

Linux all the way!!

12/22, 03:12pm reply

Linux, or symbian, on the Apple Iphone! Not too far away! YIPPEEEE :)

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

-5

Network Unlock?

12/22, 10:51pm (2 replies) reply

I suppose this is good news for the international traveller, but for domestic use, I'd rather have my unlimited Internet access!

Not sure what the previous flames are all about, but:

On Software Installs:
Clearly there is good reason for keeping iPhone software installer locked down. For one, you don't want viruses on your iPhone or hacks which could compromise data security (there's a lot of personal data on phones these days).

On the Firewire=Fail Issue:
USB 3.0 is just around the corner, and I don't believe anyone in the industry will miss the lack of FIrewire on an iPhone or an iPod for that matter. Firewire is a standard for sustained data transfer (hard disk, video, network, etc.) Requiring Firewire on a computer for an iPod/iPhone to circumvent the small CPU tax for the short synchronization period is not justified, Apple's use of USB's higher cross-platform market penetration has helped the iPhone and iPod achieve their current market success.

Zanziboy

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2008

+1

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