Public tool release still in limbo

Members of the unofficial iPhone Dev Team have successfully unlocked the iPhone 4 for other carriers, Twitter updates indicate. The claim is backed by images of an iPhone 4 running on Canadian carrier Bell, which is only possible through unlocking since Canada does not yet officially have the device. The country may only get the new model as late as July 28th. One of the photos shows an iPhone 4 also using Cydia, a distribution vehicle for unofficial apps.

The major obstacle to unlocking the phone is said to have been its baseband, which is distinct from that on previous Apple hardware. Still in the air is when new public unlocking tools might become available. The expectation is that the Dev Team will wait for the next official iOS firmware update; this tends to save work, and prevent Apple from immediately disrupting the hack.

by MacNN Staff