iPhone 2.0 firmware hacked

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 14th March 2008

The iPhone firmware has been blown wide open before it's even released thanks to enterprising hackers.

If you're waiting on the new iPhone firmware but don't want to lose the freedom that 'jailbroken' older versions offer, then you're in luck: even before it is officially released, the latest 2.0 firmware has been hacked.

The iPhone Dev Team – not to be confused with the real development team, of course – has announced that their software will allow previously unlocked handsets to load a completely restriction-free version of the latest firmware. Not to be outdone, rival hacker Zibri has reported that his ZiPhone package will do the same whilst lambasting his eager compatriots, refusing to release a new version specifically for 2.0 until the final release as he isn't “as stupid as other people.”

Although it's unsurprising that hackers are hard at work on the iPhone firmware to see a simple software-only hack available before the commercial availability of the firmware is something new, and it may give Apple reason to avoid releasing beta firmware in the future.

The modified 2.0 firmware will allow access to all the shiny features the latest and greatest offers, while still allowing software that hasn't been published via the new App Store to run successfully. Additionally, it unlocks the handset to run on any mobile network – assuming it hasn't already been done.

Has this finally given you cause to buy into the insanely great iPhone, or is it still an oversized smartphone from the turn of the century with good marketing? Let us know over in the forums.