November 23rd, 2008
iPhone jailbreakers: Problems with QuickPwn?
On Friday, the word came out from iPhone jailbreaker community to avoid update to the iPhone 2.2 firmware. The next day, the team at blog.iphone-dev.org warned that use of QuickPwn could bring problems with Apple’s iPhone Firmware 2.2 update released on Friday.
Here is the note:
GOLDEN RULE: If you have a 3G iPhone and want potential soft unlock in the near future do NOT use QuickPwn, and do not use the official ipsw or the iTunes update process without using PwnageTool.
The previous note titled Sir, step away from the keyboard was posted on the “unofficial, official blog of the iphone-dev team” and told jailbreakers to avoid the firmware update.
If you want to keep that option of a ‘soft-unlock in the near future’ available but you want the new features of 2.2, you will be able to update to 2.2 using a PwnageTool created custom ipsw file that disables the baseband update. You will be able to do this using an updated version of PwnageTool.
Links to PwnageTool 2.2.1 and QuickPwn are available here.
The Friday post offers some interesting information on the differences between the iPod Touch and the iPhone 3G.
-The 2.2 firmware for 3G contains a baseband update for the 3G iPhone.
-The 2.2 firmware for 2G (1st gen iPhones) doesn’t contain a baseband update and the baseband is still at 04.05.04.
-We believe that our Pwnage technique (and therefore the Jailbreak) isn’t affected, but PwnageTool and QuickPwn do not support this release as yet, so DO NOT install 2.2 using iTunes as you will lose your jailbreak.
-If you apply this update and you previously relied on PwnageTool or QuickPwn to activate your phone, it may become temporarily deactivated and unusable (until we release the new version of PwnageTool or QuickPwn).
-2G (1st gen) iPhone users who cannot wait for the new PwnageTool or QuickPwn can safely “Update” to 2.2 using iTunes, this will preserve the existing activation. However “restoring” to 2.2 using iTunes will return the iPhone to the unactivated state. If you are in any doubt just wait. NB: This works for 2G ONLY.
-The use of SIM-Proxies (small circuit boards/chips that sit underneath the SIM card) to provide GSM/UMTS service on your locked iPhone 3G is a method that we have always advised against. Early reports suggest that the 2.2 update disables the functionality of these devices. The techniques used were always unreliable and we are surprised that they have lasted this long.
Note: I’m not a user of jailbreak applications and admit that I can live without them. But I was interested in the differences between the models and the confusion the firmware update may bring to jailbreaker community. If the guys at blog.iphone-dev.org are wrong, I am sorry for bringing even more confusion.
David Morgenstern has covered the Mac market and other technology segments for 20 years. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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