| iPhone 3G unlock gets a massive step closer |
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| by Alex Zaharov-Reutt | |
| Monday, 27 October 2008 | |
      
Have you been patiently waiting for an iPhone 3G unlock to appear? Well, you’re not alone – millions have wanted a free unlock solution from the iPhone Dev Team, Geohot, Ziphone Zibri or anyone else smart enough to make the unlock happen. While no 3G unlock has yet been made available, the iPhone Dev Team has posted a video in its blog showing “Custom application execution on the PBM8878”, with the PBM8878 being the “baseband processor” inside the iPhone 3G. The video shows a connection to the iPhone 3G via SSH, the kernel version, a connection to the basebase, the display of baseband information and then the Dev Team’s PMB8878 baseband tool which is invoked using a “custom AT command”. We’re then shown the “Nucleus OS task list”, which is the operating system the PMB8878 baseband chip runs. This means the iPhone Dev Team is deep into territory Apple and Infineon had hoped the Dev Team were hardware-locked out of. Clearly not, meaning a free iPhone 3G unlock could appear at any time. There are caveats, however – as far as the iPhone Dev Team has always indicated, they are working on the baseband that came with the original iPhone 3G pre-loaded with the iPhone OS 2.0. Since then we’ve had the iPhone OS 2.0.1, 2.0.2 and 2.1, and there have been baseband updates which may make things more difficult and require a new round of hacking. Alternatively, whatever trick the iPhone Dev Team has used to break in might apply to all baseband versions – we’ll just have to wait and see. Looks like those who questioned the iPhone Dev Team’s relevance have well and truly had those questions answered, while firmly remaining a thorn in Apple’s side, and reminding Apple, all phone manufacturers and telcos of the utter futility of forcing users to stick with one carrier. The Dev Team’s video ends with: “no drama, no $$, safe tools, donations to /dev/null, music by boards of Canada”, referring to the fact there’s been no ZiPhone Zibri-esque “drama” over the upcoming 3G unlock, there are no requests for money, the Team’s tools are (and will be safe), and no donations are accepted. Now all we can do is but wait, while Apple prepares to soon release its iPhone OS 2.2 update, something that will almost surely re-lock unlocked phones. It’s a technological cat and mouse battle of Tom’n’Jerry’n’Itchy’n’Scratchy proportions!
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