121 Comments
There is a lot of confusion among noobies about jailbreaking and unlocking. One of our readers recently asked for a clear “non geeky” definition of both terms.
If you already know the difference between jailbreaking and unlocking, this article might not be very helpful to you but you may still be able to give us some insights or maybe add your comments and suggestions. If you don’t know what jailbreaking or unlocking means, then read on because you’re just about to get a crash course on iPhone hacking…
What is Jailbreaking?
Definition of Jailbreaking
Jailbreaking is the process by which an iPhone firmware is modified to allow unsigned code to be run to gain access to files that Apple wouldn’t normally let you access. Jailbreaking adds unofficial application installers to your iPhone such as Cydia or Icy (I personally only use Cydia), which let you download many 3rd-party applications previously unavailable through the App Store.
Is Jailbreaking Legal?
Update: Jailbreaking is now officially legal in the US
Yes and no. The legality of jailbreaking is very unclear. Most iPhone owners including myself think that since we own the iPhone, we should be able to do whatever we want with it.
Apple’s lawyers think differently as they consider jailbreaking to be a violation of copyright. I had a phone conversation with Apple’s copyright attorney about a year ago and he admitted to me that they are not capable of going after every jailbreaker out there… To these days, I don’t think anyone has had legal issues with Apple due to jailbreaking.
Why Jailbreak Your iPhone
Jailbreaking lets you install applications that are not approved by Apple. Many of these applications can be very helpful but they will unfortunately never make it to the App Store due to Apple’s restrictions. There are many reasons why you would want to jailbreak your iPhone:
- install 3rd party applications rejected by Apple for various reasons (ie. nudity)
- video recording (now available on the iPhone 3GS)
- changing the look and feel by installing custom graphics and themes
- free tethering
- get access to cracked App Store apps for free (not endorsed by me, but still worth noting)
- be able to unlock your iPhone
Why Not Jailbreak Your iPhone
I can only think of one reason why you wouldn’t want to jailbreak. Jailbreaking your iPhone automatically voids the warranty. This is not really a problem as you can always restore your iPhone in iTunes, putting it back to its factory settings. This will make it impossible for Apple to see you jailbroke your iPhone, thus not voiding your warranty.
In the past, some jailbreak methods were not very stable and sometimes turned your iPhone into an iBrick aka an expensive paper weight. Jailbreak methods are now very stable and I have yet to hear about someone bricking his iPhone while jailbreaking. In other words, jailbreaking is safe!
How Do I Jailbreak My iPhone?
I wrote many tutorials on how to jailbreak your iPhone, depending on what iPhone and what firmware you have. Check them out, follow the instructions, and have fun. You don’t need to have a PhD in computer science to jailbreak your iPhone. It’s very simple and straightforward. If you can download 2 files and click “next” when prompted, then you can jailbreak your iPhone.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
It’s very unlikely that something will go wrong… If you have a problem, simply plug your iPhone to your computer, launch iTunes, and click “restore”. As I mentioned above, it will restore your iPhone to factory settings.
Why Are You Still Reading This?
What? You’re still aren’t sure about this whole jailbreak thing? You’re missing out big time. An unjailbroken iPhone is a plain boring iPhone! Jailbreaking is the best thing that has happened to my iPhone and I seriously can’t live without it.
What Is Unlocking?
Definition of Unlocking
Unlocking is the removal of SIM restrictions on the modem, allowing the use of the iPhone on any carrier. There are 2 types of iPhone unlocks:
- software unlock: the iPhone is unlocked by a software
- hardware unlock: modification have to be made to the actual hardware to unlock the phone
Software unlocks are safer because they do not modify your device and can easily be reverted back. Soft unlocks are mostly developed for free by the Dev Team, an international group of iPhone hackers. Hardware unlocks are a little tricky and usually cost money. In clear, if you want to unlock your iPhone, you can do it for free by with a safe software unlock.
Is Unlocking Legal?
According to Wikipedia, “unlocking a phone without the permission or unlocking code from the provider is usually in breach of the agreement with the provider, though most countries do not make specific laws prohibiting the removal of SIM locks. In the United States the DMCA formerly was claimed to criminalize unlocking. However, an exemption that took effect 27 November 2006 specifically permits it.”
Why Unlock Your iPhone
The main reason to unlock your iPhone is if you want to use it with a different service provider (ie T-Mobile). An unlocked iPhone also has a better resell value.
Why Not Unlock Your iPhone
If you’re good with your phone carrier and will not use your iPhone internationally, there is absolutely no reason for you to unlock your iPhone.
How Do I Unlock My iPhone?
Before unlocking your iPhone, you will have to jailbreak it. The unlock can either be done from a computer, or directly from the iPhone. Check out my iPhone unlock tutorials for step by step instructions.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Although unlocks can sometimes mess up your settings a little bit, they are constantly improved to fix errors and bugs. If something goes wrong, you can always restore your iPhone to factory settings.
In Short…
I case you’re still not really sure you understand the difference between jailbreaking and unlocking, let me put it in very simple words. Jailbreaking an iPhone means that 3rd party applications can be installed on it (ie. apps from other developers than Apple). Unlocking an iPhone means that any SIM card can be used on it.
If you have questions or anything you want to say, feel free to leave a comment below or start a new conversation in the forum.
Funny thing about jailbreaking and apple; I have a friends whoms uncle is the Boss on Apples Re-selling in Sweden, his iPhone is jailbreaked lol xD
Gonna jailbreak mu iphone 3GS when it gets here (Sweden):D
Great guide, good detil and gets down to the exact point, I can’t live without jailbreaking either
will this work for the latest 32gb 3gs and if there is any proplems have heard ppl with bigtime battery issues after jailbreaking
@scottnde no, it’s really safe. Try it. It works for all iPhones http://www.iphonedownloadblog.com/jailbreak/
A question…After unlocking the iphone, you can use any SIM card on it, right? But if you travel to other countries, the GSM network band might be different than what’s here in the U.S. (i.e. 850 vs. 900 vs. 1900). Does the unlocked iphone automatically switches to the right network? I don’t seem to be able to change the network band in the phone. Please help!
Thanks
you said that jail breaking and unlocking are two different things, then why do i have to jailbreak to unlock??
Jailbreaking and unlocking are indeed 2 different things. Jailbreaking is however a necessary step to unlock.
ok i get it now thanks for your help
I’m expecting my iphone to arrive in a few weeks time. Thanks for a great explanation. I now understand what is jailbreak and unlock!
very nice info. very helpful
thanks!
How to see if my IPhone unlocked without change SIM vard with different phone provider?
Hey I have a question. I have an unlocked 3G iphone (tmobile) and how would i go about downloading apps? The appstore icon doesnt appear on my screen.. I downloaded two apps for my iphone through my mac and I have no clue on how to access it.. or if Im able to access it.
Thanks
Mona
you are totally right!!
why the fu** should be illegal to jailbreak & unlock ????????????????
since i have paid the money for my 3gs 32g i want it all for me lol NOT censored
will I lose all my apps music pics etc. If I jailbreak my 3gs
@White1 No, you will keep everything
hi i have a little question so i have a friend who lives in the usa and he is going to get me a contract free iphone 3gs will i need a sim card inserted so i can jailbreak and unlock it?? ps i live in egypt….thanks
@Mai No you won’t need a SIM card in it to jailbreak and unlock it
even if it wasnt activated by itunes???
if yes do i just follow the same steps in the blog to jailbreak and unlock or do i have to do it differently will cydia even lunch if im able to jailbreak it without activation thanks sebastien
The jailbreak will hacktivate your phone. Just follow the steps to jailbreak then install UltraSn0w.
Hi,
Great article. Just one question though, is there anything like factory unlocked iphone? That is… it will work with any carrier without changing anything in the iphone. We see ads of such phones on the auction site saying, claiming it’s brand new and never opened.
Will I be able to use iTunes App Stores? And do all the updates (like updating the firmware etc.) Will it be still under warranty?
I’m in Dubai and iPhone 3G has been introduced by the local carrier (Etisalat).
@sebastian..
i just buy my iphone 3gs (32g) i buy it from direct apple store in oz… and they are unlocking my iphone already (so ican use any sim card — 3g sim card will be better then data sim card)
i just want put application in my iphone (for free without use credit card or itunes account) any idea how do that??? is jailbreeking can solve my problem???
x.o.x.o
@Ivy – Why don’t you want to create an iTunes account? That is the best thing to do to get apps. There is a hack to create an iTunes account without a credit card. Check it out.
If your iPhone is jailbroken, you will be able to install jailbroken applications, but none of those you can find in the app store.
@ sebastien..
thank’s alot for replay my 1st comment dude…. well i am new for iphone stuff… i always use sonyerricsoon mobile before…
i just wonder can i create more than one i-tunes account (with fake addres and fake name) like in your tutorial..
and if i do so jailbroken stuff and if something wrong yup i can restore my i-phone to factory setting well is that mean they will lock my iphone ??? cuz like i said before my iphone is unlocking already..???
x.o.x.o
@Ivy yes you can create several fake iTunes account but I don’t know why you would do this. Your iPhone can only sync with one iTunes account.
If you jailbreak and something goes wrong, you can always restore your iPhone to factory settings and it will be like brand new.
Sebastien
Hi,
Thanks a lot for the article. It is very informative. I am planning on buying an iphone 3GS, and had a few questions:
1) If I unlock the iPhone, will the phone get locked again if I do any software upgrades? (And if yes, can I unlock it again without losing any of the original data in the phone?)
2) If I unlock the iPhone, does it mean that I will not be able to download any apps from iTunes?
Thanks a lot in advance.
Hello Ziham,
Here are answers to your questions:
1) If your iPhone is unlocked and you do a firmware update, it will remove the unlock. The solution is to wait for a new jailbreak/unlock method to be available before updating your iPhone. Once the new jailbreak/unlock is here, update, rejailbreak, and reunlock.
2) No, you will always be able to download apps and music from iTunes. Jailbreaking or unlocking doesn’t change anything at all. You only have access to more features (ie jailbreak apps).
Hope that helps.
Sebastien
Wow, thanks for the INSTANT reply. Just a couple more questions, please:
1) So as you said, if I do a firmware update, and then rejailbreak and unlock the phone, will all the existing applications and data get wiped out?
2) Can I use any/latest version of iTunes on an unlocked iPhone or does it have to be a specific version?
Thanks once again.
Ziham,
1) Applications from the App Store should be on iTunes and you can just sync them again after rejailbreaking/reunlocking. Same with your contacts, calendars, etc… You will just lose your jailbreak apps (if any) and you will have to reinstall them.
2) It depends. Sometimes you have to have an earlier version. These days, having the latest version of iTunes doesn’t hurt.
Sebastien
Thanks so much for the info
Very helpful
If I already have an iTunes account that I am syncing my phone with, can I simply just change my payment method to none?
If I have a Blackberry 8130 (Pearl) and it doesn’t have a SIM card does that mean I can’t unlock my iPhone and use it on T-Mobile? I assume you have to have a phone with a removable SIM card…
Thanks-
@Crankster McGee You are correct. You need a SIM card. I used to have a BlackBerry Pearl with T-Mobile and I did have a SIM card. Are you sure you don’t have a SIM? If I remember correctly, it’s under the battery.
hi, i want to jailbreak/unlock my iphone 3GS 3.1. will i be able to access appstore after i jailbreak? are the applications available on appstore available also on Cydia?
thank you.
Ash,
Jailbreaking doesn’t change anything at all with the way you use your iPhone. You will still be able to do everything (like download apps from the app store), and more…
Apps in the app store are not available on Cydia.
s
I can’t unlock my iphone after I jailbroke it with blackra1n. I have a 3g 3.1 version, and so far, people are saying its not possible???
I downloading Redsn0w and the firmware, but the firmware won’t work, says its not compatible?
Please help!
correction, I have a 3.1.2 version.
i have the same problema tonia.I can’t unlock my iphone after I jailbroke it with blackra1n. I have a 3g 3.1 version, and so far, people are saying its not possible???
I downloading Redsn0w and the firmware, but the firmware won’t work, says its not compatible?
If you unlock your phone and you want to use an AT&T prepaid sim card, will it charge you as prepaid customer on 3g or as the regular iPhone. What i’m to ask is I have my 3gs jailbroken and I have a AT&T prepaid sim card in, I bought the $20 100mb data Pkg. In my lg xenon when I use the internet I never can use the Pkg up before the months over, but in my iPhone it uses the mb’s up super fast. Would an unlock to the iPhone make the phone use the prepaid sim card the way it does in my lg xenon?
Wow this was a great article and very informative. I have a quick question..I plan on jailbreaking and unlocking my phone (3Gs 16GB) so that I can use it when I go on vacation to Poland ( I live in the states ). I’m going to buy a SIM card to put into my phone once I get there but my question is really in regards to the data. Will I get charged some crazy international rate if I pull data into my phone while I’m over there? Will AT&T realize that I’m out of the country? If anyone has had any experience with this please let me know. Thanks!
so when u unlock a phone do u get FREE service with any network or do u still have to pay for service
Do you have any blog/entry that talks about the iPhone after it has been jailbroken and unlocked?
That is, specifically talking about:
– itunes sync – what to do, not to do ?
– OS Upgrades – what happens when apple releases a new OS upgrade ?
etc ?
i had a question when u jailbreak the phone does it remove all your contacts and text messages or do u still keep them?
hey ive had this question for soooo long ! i jus found this site !
I got my iphone as a gift.
it has the App store, Installer, and cydia.
i wanted to download the new software but i donno if the iphone is unlocked or jailbroken.
u said if it has cydia then its jailbroken. and in order to unlock it u need to jailbreak it.
so now im know my iphone is jailbroken, but how do i know if its unlocked or not ?
and how can i update my software?
if u could help me i would sooo appreciate it ! i tried askin in other sites and no1 could help me !
Put a different SIM card in there and see if it works. If it does, it means you are unlocked. Either way if your iPhone is jailbroken and you update it, it will remove the jailbreak. You will have to jailbreak (see our tutorials for this) and unlock again after updating.
ok here i go, the article about jailbreak it was very helpful thanks for that, now, here it comes the million question that my dad has. he had and i phone he was the first in the family to have one now he cant pay for the 30 dollars extra that att its charging for the internet so he has to go back to bring-smaller phone call MOTOROLA now he is the only one without an iphone the question was how can he use the iphone with att without having to pay the extra money. thanks ill appreciate all the help i could get from u guys.
@Sergio Please search the blog for an article titled something like “how to use an iphone without the dataplan”. It will give you answers.
Hi Sebastien,
Thank you for those great info,
I just get my iPhone but am still not sure I will jaibreak it. When you say when you jailbreak the phone and have a problem with it, you always can restore factory settings, what if my iPhone really breaks or the connection to the computer does not work anymore? I might not be able to restore it… so I am still a little bit anxious about jailbreaking…
Do you need an iPhone to jailbreak
so unlocking the iphone means you can travel outside th US right? And you don’t need a sim card to use it overseas?
I am planning on getting a first gen iPhone 8gb, upgrade it to 3.1.2 to replace my touch (really want the camera, gps, and internal mic and speaker, as well as Bluetooth for my s9 headphones), but do not want to use the phone or edge on it. I was wondering if a jailbreak would be enough, or does it need unlocked as well. It will not have any plans and it doesn’t have a sim card (wondering if my Tracfone sim card will work). Basically, what do I need to do for basic functionality on os 3.1.2?
@Tim jailbreak and unlock and put an unactive sim card in there so it doesn’t bug you with the error message saying there is no sim inserted
Thank you. I’ll let you know how it works when I get it.
i am planning on getting a iphone 3gs and its already unlocked and i am new to the iphone activation but does that give you a phone number with the sim card or would i have to get a number for the iphone
i have installed black rain n cydia into my iphone.
i cannot install games that i have downloaded from an external source thru itune.
any advice?
any good appl besides cydia wih good & free games?
alidfs
Truly speaking your information is so much of valuable for me.
but here, it doesn’t troubleshoot my problem-
actually i was gifted an unlocked iphone i.e. iphone 1st model and last night i have updated it with the o.s.3.1.2. so, again i have got my iphone locked and i m not even able to do it on factory restore. so,plz tell me the solution and can i get it again without losing any of the original data.
thanx
Thank you for making an easy to understand guide for a non-techie!!!
How can I download application which are not in apple application store.?
Thank you! I was waiting for my contract with At&t to be up so I could upgrade to a phone with video. I thought it was such a cheep shot of Apple not to include a video app in their update for their older model phones. There are now a few video apps on the app store which work fairly well but I think Apple allowed them only after so many people were jailbreaking.
I’ve paid once for my phone, jailbreaking will at least postpone having to buy a new one.
Only question; Is there a way to upgrade hard drive memory on the I-Phone 3G?
My phone is now jailbroken and unlocked. I am planning on using my Iphone 3G more as an Itouch and getting a prepaid phone instead to save money. With the unlock done is it possible to use a T-Mobile (or other prepaid company) pre-paid card for phone only (I dont want to pay for Data).
I am using my iphone 2g in a country where there are no iphone carriers, so basically, i bought it unlocked.
I want to upgrade it to the latest software (3.1.3 i think it is?). Apparently that only jailbreaks your phone, and does not unlock it.
Will that mean my phone won’t work?
does the iphone locks after jailbreaking it??
i have a jailbroken and unlocked iphone…i need to jailbreak it again by blackra1n…do i have to remove the previous jailbreak in order to install blackra1n?????
and
does the iphone locks after jailbreaking it???
I am looking to purchase an unlocked/jailbroken Iphone 3gs for my wife. What is a reasonable price to purchase from a website or off of craigslist? Thank you in advance.
I’m with Verizon, who doesn’t use sims cards. Can I still use an IPhone that’s been unlocked if I don’t have a sims card for it?
l buy black rain to unlock my iphone, i try hundred time, but still don’t work,what i do , my iphone 3G 3.1.3 (7E18) firmware 05.12.01 l try contac the vendor but send me to ghost places, where i can buy o free version blackrain to instal in my iphone. thank you for anything you can do. God blessyou.
I have Apple 3gs 32gb currently running on a 3.1.3 software. Is it possible to jailbrake and run cydia at this version?
Now i know alot of people are saying that by jailbraking there phone it is the best thing they have done but im still not too sure. It just scares that after paying all this money and buying the phone out right that i end up doing something and screwing it up!
I understand that if i do jailbreak it i cant update it to any other Itunes software untill new versions of jailbreaking come out.
Overall whats your opinions on it?
I would like to know the possitive and negatives of this!
Also i noticed you posted something about setting up an Itunes account without a credit card! By doing that does it mean you can download apps you would normally need to pay for for free?
Can we unlock iPhone 3.1.3 on bootloader6.0?
see i need to know this urgently.
i am buying an unlocked iphone.but i have downloaded already free apps from a site called apptracker.org.
now they are in my itunes.
can i use these apps?and will the phone get locked if i i connect it with these apps already on the itunes.
ee i need to know this urgently.
i am buying an unlocked iphone.but i have downloaded already free apps from a site called apptracker.org.
now they are in my itunes.
can i use these apps?and will the phone get locked if i i connect it with these apps already on the itunes.
see i need to know this urgently.
i am buying an unlocked iphone.but i have downloaded already free apps from a site called apptracker.org.
now they are in my itunes.
can i use these apps?and will the phone get locked if i i connect it with these apps already on the itunes.
please reply fast please please please
This is a great article I have jailbroken my phone for a year now and helped a lot of people do it themselves and always assumed unlocking was the same. I do have a question that I didn’t see asked. I am completely fine with at&t I barely have any problems with them, however I want to buy my gf an iphone but am skeptical about doing it because she has at&t but doesnt have the upgrade to get it so she would have to pay an extra 200 i think to get on the two year plan and I think in a year she will be out of her plan and wants to switch, Im curious if I can buy an unactivated iphone and activate it to her current at&t plan, also how to activate it, I read in one of the threads that by unlocking it you said it hacktivates it, do you mean that her number and everything would be good to go or are the steps i need to take. Thanks for your time.
to Deep Shah,
In case it hasn’t been answered yet, yes you can, however you need to download an app in cydia . You need to go cydia, manage sources, click appulous, scroll down to an app called appsync, there should be a few of them get the one that corresponds with the firmware in your iphone and install it, its a nongraphical app meaning nothing will show on your iphone that you have it. Then in itunes just click sync and make sure there all synced up, the app sync app does exactly that, allows you to sync up apps from apptracker or previously appulo.us.
If you dont have that option in cydia to get appsync its because you havent added the source for appulous, to do that go to sources manage source add source, type in cydia.hackulo.us/
if you did that step you might want to get installuous its the app version of appulo.us err apptracker now.
Hope that helped
I have 450 minute phone plan with unlimited texting and unlimited data on my old phone with AT&T. My old phone is a Nokia 6102i. My sim card says 3G on it, so I think that’s a good thing.
My bill currently is around $80 a month. If I buy an iphone with the same plan I will pay around $100 a month. I’m hoping this will work so I can save that $20. Hopefully this is worded so you can understand.
If I buy an unlocked iphone, would I be able to put my sim card in the iphone and use it the same as if I bought an iphone under contract with the iphone plans? (Will I still have 450 minutes, unlimited text, unlimited data?)
How do I know if my sim card has enough memory to support the iphone? (I don’t know if this is a necessary question, but someone mentioned it to me so I thought I would ask)
Can AT&T, Apple, or someone else re-lock an unlocked iphone?
If I buy an new unused sim card, will I have to get a new phone number and plan to make it work?
Does buying a new unused sim card defeat the purpose of an unlocked phone?
If you think of anything else that can help me with my decision on what to buy please let me know. Your site was very helpful so far; Sometimes I just need things worded many ways before I make a decision. Thanks for all the help.
Okay, i am very very anxious about jailbreaking my iPhone 3G because i have not found the answer to this ANYWHERE, When i jailbreak my iPhone will all my existing apps that i have bought and downloaded from the AppStore disappear. Because i just bought a game called Inotia 2 and i don’t want my saves and stuff to disappear. I am currently running on a 3.1.3 firmware please answer me if there is a safe way to Jailbreak without having to lose it all.
Because i really want winterboard and cydia and all of that stuff + keeping my old apps
Please help!
//mathias
Nevermind, everyone i have now jailbroken my iPhone 3G on 3.1.3 Firmware Baseband 05.12.01 it worked perfectly fine. All of my existing apps were still there after the jailbreak and now i have alot of new ones thanks to Cydia. Don’t be afraid of jailbreaking it’s completely safe =) Too bad you can’t unlock 3G iPhone tho
hi names kane,
i jailbroke mi ipod, it didnt work and only left mi lappytop with a nasy ass virus which dosent alow me on the internet, so i have kinda lost faith.
i am guin america on skool trip thinkin of buyin 2 iphones over there then bringin them back. i know i cannot use them over here for ovious reasons. if i jail break the unlock, will this allow me to use it in the uk with o2 for example without any issues, also im crap at the technical jailbreaking soooo could i go to any shops or ‘people in the know’ to get it done for me?
btw great info on jailbreaking and unlocking!!
Hi, i got the case when i did jailbreak my i phone the phone is suddenly locked, and i couldn’t unlocked it, i am using software 3.1.3. do you have the solution the problem? Many Thanks.
One important question:
I am stuck on 3.1.3 firmware, so which is not yet unlockable. I have my regular AT&T phone sim card… and buy a 3G iphone with 3.1.3 on it.
I would like to know if I use my sim card (without data plan) on the phone, will AT&T find out about that, and charge me for that?
Pls note that AT&T representatives say you can’t use the iPhone unless you have data plan… but when I put it in, it works but no data internet and stuff…. So, I am a bit paranoid that they charge me automatically. Since my iPhone is not yet unlocked, will AT&T find out and hunt me down? Any experiences, cases?
What do you think? comments are welcome, thanks in advanced.
Dude
thanks so much for this article
it’s so helpful
I really couldn’t figure out what the difference was until I read your article
again, thanks
Hey dude so i have a 3g 3.1.3 iPhone essentially. im asking by following your guide will i be able to jailbreak my iphone.
And another question what doez tethering mean?
im plannig to buy a 32gb Itouch
so i just wanted 2 knw tht i just hav 2 Jailbreak to use 3rd party applications?!?!
& also will d warranty go away when i jailbreak my Itouch
This article helped so much! Just one question, i won this raffle for 1,000 bucks nd split it with my sis so id get 500…now since i wouldnt buy the iphone 3gs with an AT&T contract (i have a sprint/nextel account) what would be the estimated price? would it be jacked up since i didnt go with the plan?
hi @seb
i have iphone 2 g last Saturday
i restore my phone settings and my all data of iphone deleated
now the problem is the phone stucks on apple logo and
rarely it shows to connect with itunes on mobile
now i am restoring my iphone in DFU mode and the thing is
whenever i retore my i phone its install latest version firmware 3.1.3
and earlier i was using i phone 3.0.1
could you pls give me some instructions so that i can fix it
pls help me buddy
i know u have very good knowledge about i phones
hi @seb
i have iphone 2 g last Saturday
i restore my phone settings and my all data of iphone deleated
now the problem is the phone stucks on apple logo and
rarely it shows to connect with itunes on mobile
now i am restoring my iphone in DFU mode and the thing is
whenever i retore my i phone its install latest version firmware 3.1.3
and earlier i was using i phone 3.0.1
do i need to jail break
also and if yes than pls give me the link from where i can download
jailbreak software
could you pls give me some instructions so that i can fix it
pls help me buddy
i know u have very good knowledge about i phones
I have iphoe 3g with ATnt Carrier before and managed to unlock it ( it was on fw 3.1.2) – I accidentally upgrade to 3.1.3 and it back locked now. Is there any way to unlock it ( is it already released)- I cant also downgrade the baseband using cydia (forgot the software) since my baseband is not supported.
I have iphone touch now..
( and would like to get the sim function back.
Please notify by mail if you dont mind.
thanks
Hi, I have iPhone 3gs 3.1.3, currently it only shows the screen of numbers which I only can do emergency calls. Can I through the coming “Spirit” JB to access the regular menu and application of the phone or not? Isn’t suppose by the JB to open the phone and to be able to use at least as iPod?
Hi Sebastein,
Though you havent replied on this thread since Jan 18th, I really hope you read this and reply.
I have an iphone 2G and it was unlocked. However, erroneously I updated it on itunes to os 3.1.3.
My phone is now stuck to a usb image pointing to itunes logo. I read in ur articles that iphone 2G 3.1.3 can be jailbroken but you have also given a warning – “if you have an iPod Touch 1G, an iPhone 2G or an iPhone 3G, you can use RedSn0w to jailbreak your iPhone 3.1.3. If you care about ever unlocking your iPhone, DO NOT do this. Just wait and stay away from the update.”
I need to unlock my iphone. What shall I do? Pls help if you can.
thanks.
Hi Sebastien,
Though you havent replied on this thread since Jan 18th, I really hope you read this and reply.
I have an iphone 2G and it was unlocked. However, erroneously I updated it on itunes to os 3.1.3.
My phone is now stuck to a usb image pointing to itunes logo. I read in ur articles that iphone 2G 3.1.3 can be jailbroken but you have also given a warning – “if you have an iPod Touch 1G, an iPhone 2G or an iPhone 3G, you can use RedSn0w to jailbreak your iPhone 3.1.3. If you care about ever unlocking your iPhone, DO NOT do this. Just wait and stay away from the update.”
I need to unlock my iphone. What shall I do? Pls help if you can.
thanks.
hi thanks for describing the differences in clear details. However i’m still confused by one thing mentioned by some ebay seller. Some of them contrasted “factory unlocked” iphones with “jailbroken” iphones, and said that the nonfactory-unlocked iphones will automatically be locked again once you upgrade it or connect it to apple. is that true?
Hi,
I have a Iphone 3G 3.1.3 and I jailbreak it with Spirit.
The thing is I have a 3 years contract with Bell Aliant [Canada]
and I don’t want to Unlock it.,
But I have a probleme when I try to connect to the internet without any wifi network this is the error that show up :
Could Not Activate Cellular Data Network: You Are Not Subscribed to a Cellular Data Service
I saw a link to fix it but don’t want to try it becaus I really don’t want to mess things up with my current carrier.
This is the link: http://www.unlockit.co.nz/#_Custom
It says Unlockit so.. I’m guessing its gonna unlock my Iphone
And I don’t know if all the people that Jailbroke their Iphone actualy Buy them or was on a contract like me.. Maybe I made a big mistake.
Thanks
YES SPIRIT will Jailbreak your Iphone on 3.1.3 with firmware 05.12.01 that’s the good thing but there is no unlock for it yet. So You might be good to wait till the 24th of june and get 4.0 when it comes out. I just jailbroke mines 4 times and tried Blackra1n, Snow and something else and none of them unlocked it. but it is still jailbroken now. Good luck finding a unlock app.
Hi Sensei,
You are have done a terrific job with your website, thanks.
Do you if there is any way if you could find out if you are buying a factory unlocked or unlocked buy a software? I am asking this because I want to buy a factory unlocked from ebay and I don’t how to find out if he is telling the truth.
And would there be any difference with the performances?
Regards,
Mohammad
@Mohammad
You can’t tell my looking at the device. You would have to restore the iPhone and use a different SIM card to verify it is indeed factory unlocked.
Performances would be exactly the same
Sebastien
Hi Sebastian,
I have another question.
Is there any backlash if you unlock your Iphone? Is it only that you will have to download/upgrade from other sites rather than apple? How bad would that be?
Can you please elaborate?
Is there any difference for how to unlock iphones for difference countries. Is there any difference for what happens? I want to know the answer any way. FYI I am in America but I travel some of the times.
Regards,
Mohammad
Hi,
I have questions coming out of my mind based on every minute my knowledge being improved by your website and quick answers!!
Do you know how long would it take for hackers to be able to hack I-phone 4?
Regards,
mohammad
Hey Guys i have iphone 3g 3.1.2 bashband 05-12-01 and bootloader 05.09.
i successfully jailbreak it but i have no carrier or service from my sim(cannot make calls) but my wifi works perfectly fine.
is there any solution.
Quick question,
After jailbreaking will i be able to upgrade to os4 and secondly what will happen to push notifications will that work fine???
Thanks
Quick question,
I currently have a non smartphone,(samsung impression). If i jailbreak and unlock the iphone, will i be able to use my sim from my current phone and also get on the internet? I didn’t know if you had to have a smartphone sim to be able to use the internet on an iphone, (since the iphone is a smartphone), that has been jailbroken and unlocked?
hi i ve an iphone 2g which i ve jailbreak. is running 3.0. i want to update it to 3.1.2. do i need to upgrade it from itune and jailbreak it again. i dont want to go tru the jailbreaking process again.
need help pls
thanks
is there a way you can unlock it so that it wont mess up your current internet plan ? because I don’t want a iphone plan its too expensive
Sebastien
i jailbreak to my iphone 3g 4.0 firmware by your tutorial. its works good but when i download screensplitr to my iphone that icon doesn,t comes on. and if i want to connect with tv to see the display of my iphone it doesn,t work. please help me what to do. and which king of composite cable i should bye. one dealer said me that your cable will not work in 4.0 firmware
so what i should downgrade my iphone to 3.1
Sebastien
i jailbreak to my iphone 3g 4.0 firmware by your tutorial. its works good but when i download screensplitr to my iphone that icon doesn,t comes on. and if i want to connect with tv to see the display of my iphone it doesn,t work. please help me what to do. and which king of composite cable i should bye. one dealer said me that your cable will not work in 4.0 firmware
so what i should downgrade my iphone to 3.1. some suggestion please as soon as possible
Hi Sebastian,
Thanks again for your great website.
Can you unlock an IOS4?
If not can you downgrade it and then unlock it?
Are all iPhones unlockable?
If not, how could you find out, could you find out before purchasing it?
I am just looking for some clarity: If I jailbreak my iphone, all the functions and syncing are unchanged. But if I need to restore my factory settings, I can backup my device, restore the factory settings, then restore all my apps (itunes only), music, images, contacts, etc., and have a “legal” iPhone? Thanks for the help!
@Matts Yes
I have a jailbroken and unlocked iphone 3GS 3.1.2, The battery ran out and when I recharged it, it got restored to the original service provider. I had also upgraded itunes to 9.1 version. Every time I power on the iphone or connect it with my mac, I see the pic of usb connecting to itunes. When I do that, it asks for upgrading, when I do that, it says my sim is no supported. I downloaded blackra1n and tried jailbreaking, the same result as above. it says I have unsupported sim. I am stuck. PLEASE HELP ME JAILBREAK AND UNLOCK AN ALREADY JAILBROKEN AND LOCKED IPHONE 3GS 3.1.2.
THANKS
JB
I am really a novice from Bangladesh. Did not have any idea what is jailbreak or unlock. Recently I bought a iphone 3GS (firmware 3.1.3) from a guy who bought it from Canada. It was in a sealed packet and when I opened it found inside there is a Rogers SIM and when I have put my SIM inside it said my SIM is not valid.
Then one of my friend took the phone to Singapore and got it in working condition. He told he paid USD 100 to a Apple retailer and got it unlocked. I was very happy but alas my happiness did not last long when i upgraded the OS to OS 4.0.1 now it showing “SIM Failure or invalid SIM”
Can any kind heart gentleman advice me what can I do now???? I have already spent USD 800 and not able to use the phone.
Thanks in advance
Sebastian,
you seem to be the authority on this topic, or atleast in this forum. I currently have a 2G running 3.1.3 and would like to jailbreak and unlock it. What do you suggest? ultrasnow?
Sebastian,
you seem to be the authority on this topic, or atleast in this forum. I currently have a 2G running 3.1.3 and would like to jailbreak and unlock it. What do you suggest? ultrasnow?
Thanks
-mike
Thanks for the information.
I just ordered an Iphone4 from the UK. I was wondering do you have jailbreak links for iphone4?
Many thanks
I bought my iphone 2G ages ago from ebay. It came unlocked and jailbroken (if thats the correct term?). Has always worked well but i have never been able to upload any apps to it despite buying them legitimately from itunes and trying to sync. I’ve always wanted to update the firmware in hope that I could sync my apps across along with my music but have never known if this would lock it all up again and render it useless so i’ve just avoided it. Can anyone help me get apps on this thing?
Hi, I am thinking about getting an iphone, probably in the US and bring it to my country, so, if the iphone is unlocked that means I can use any sim card in my country?
By the way, if your iphone is jailbroken, can you still sync with itunes?
What about the apple updates?
Hey I liked the article but I hav an iPod touch 2g 4.0 can jailbreaking and unlocking work for me too?
can u get any app for freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee even the ones on the app storeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I have a question: I know that i have to jailbreak my iphone 3G before unlocking but when i want to unlock it what is the best software to use?
Would i have to pay At&t extra money for unlocking the phone when i have a contract with them?
Thanks,
Varun
I unlocked my iPhone 3G so that I can use SIM with wifi and no data package. The phone and texting work fine, but I lost voicemail capability. Does anyone know a fix for this? Thanks!