iPhone update creating "iBricks"

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 28 Sep 2007 at 12:57

Apple's latest iPhone firmware update is turning the device into an expensive paperweight for anyone who has unlocked their handset for use on other mobile networks.

Anyone in the UK who already has an iPhone will have bought it in the US, and will therefore either have unlocked the phone for use on a UK network or operating on extremely expensive roaming charges.

A group of hackers known as the iPhone Dev Team has created a program to unlock the iPhone, and claim that tens of thousands of users have already downloaded the software. However, the new iPhone update is effectively shutting down all of the phones features on unlocked handsets.

When iTunes starts the update process to install the new version 1.1.1 firmware, the user is warned, in no uncertain terms, that "if you have modified your iPhone's software, applying this software update may result in your iPhone becoming permanently inoperable."

The process then goes on to complete normally, for both unlocked and locked phones. However, once complete, unlocked phones will display: "Insert an unlocked and valid SIM to activate iPhone."

There seems to be no way to reactivate the phone, or even to access the non-cellular features from this point. The result is what some blogs have dubbed the "iBrick".

This is precisely what Apple suggested may happen earlier this week, when it warned that unlocking the iPhone could cause "irreparable damage", and may cause it to become "permanently inoperable" after the next firmware update.

While the move may seem extreme, unlocking the handset for use on other networks is prohibited by Apple.

Unfortunately, the warning wasn't taken seriously by many. At the time, the iPhone Dev Team expressed doubts that the update would have any adverse effect on the operation of unlocked phones at all, "The removal of those firmware problems, which were built in in favour for AT&T, does not cause 'damage' as they want to make us believe," the group claimed.

Now, there are numerous blogs discussing possible solutions, but as yet there seems to be no way to restore unlocked phones. There are also reports that locked phones which have been modified to run third party applications are similarly affected.

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