Apple’s iOS 5 takes aim at jailbreakers

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Apple’s iPhone has long been the target of jailbreakers. Since the iOS system is basically locked down, jailbreaking an iPhone has been the way for users to unlock the iPhone’s true potential. Well, according to reports, the software hole that allows jailbreaking to occur has been patched up by Apple.

According to the iPhone Dev Team, a popular group of iOS hackers, when Apple released iOS 5 to developers earlier this month, the iDT discovered a change that possibly closes off the loophole that they regularly exploit. Here’s a quote straight from their blog:

“Those of you who have been jailbreaking for a while have probably heard us periodically warn you to ‘save your blobs’ for each firmware. Saving your blobs for a given firmware on your specific device allows you to restore that device to that firmware even after Apple has stopped signing it,” the group wrote on its blog yesterday. “That’s all about to change.”

The iDT says Apple has implemented a system that checks for specific data each time your iPhone is restored. If that data isn’t there due to jaibreak, when you go to restore your iPhone, it won’t boot up. And only Apple has the ability, so far, to unlock that code to allow the phone to boot up correctly. So the jailbreaking methods that were used because of that specific loophole, is now in danger of being blocked if Apple keeps this method in the final iOS 5 build. Which you can bet dollars to dunkin donuts that they will.

Now the iDT says they may have a way around this, but they aren’t going to tip their hand just yet, for fear that Apple would patch up whatever new exploit they uncover and implent that into iOS 5 as well.

My take on this is that Apple would definitely want to plug this up, especially since they started selling the iPhone unlocked themselves. Albeit at a hefty price. And since Apple started selling unlocked iPhone’s in the US, people who Jailbreakers their phones would be seen by Apple as taking away from their bottom line.

iOS 5 is due to be released to consumers this fall.

About The Author

Kamil M Abdullah has been a self proclaimed techie and bonafide smart phone expert nearly half of his life. Starting with the very first Sidekick(not necessarily a smart phone but close enough) to Blackberry to Symbian to Windows(Mobile & Phone 7) to Web OS to Android, he has used virtually every smart phone operating system. Kamil has also worked with computer programming in Bloomberg's Data Center and Backup Operations on their proprietary software. In his quest for further knowledge in mobile operating systems, Kamil voraciously devours any reading material on the subject he can find. Kamil is also a hip hop head to the fullest, having fallen in love with the art form from the very first "a hip hop the hibby to the hibby the hip hip the hop" and tr808 beat. He promises to use his vast powers and knowledge only for the good of mankind.