AfterDawn: News

Latest iPhone firmware is unlocked

The new version of the iPhone unlocking software SimFree will free all iPhones using the 1.1.1 firmware as well as unbrick any unlocked units damaged by the upgrade.

This should be welcome news to anyone who had their expensive device bricked by Apple's updated 1.1.1 firmware. Many consumers were left furious by the results of the firmware upgrade and especially that Apple's official response was "buy a new one."



According to the SimFree team, its latest version 1.6 will "FIX all phones that anySim and iUnlock bricked with the 1.1.1 update."

However, there is a catch to unbricking your phone. It requires the user to downgrade their firmware to 1.0.2 but you must pay $99 USD for the software to do that. It is still a hefty price, but cheaper than purchasing a new iPhone.

Users around the web have confirmed that the software does work.

Source:
Dailytech

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Oct 2007 11:59

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• 29 comments

• slmh1296

  I love it. That did not take long,what about a week. Poor poor Apple. I wonder how much they paid their tech team for a solution, when are they going to learn. All thought I beat it was to make AT&T happy.
  I still can not believe they bricked people's phones that is F*#%ked up serves them right I would be pissed if a company did something like that to me and the deal with the prices I know when new tech comes out it cost more but a month later that is a bit ridiculous. WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.

  11.10.2007 12:33 #1

• joonbugg

  Does the Iphone update the firmware by itself, or do you have to do it manually? If you have to do it manually, I bet nobody will update from now on. Until somebody starts making custom firmwares like the PSP hackers do.

  11.10.2007 12:48 #2

• Rudeboi

  Originally posted by slmh1296: WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.They are a company, called Apple.
  
  They are just like any other company.
  
  Say YOU opened up a company, and then consumers found out ways to get your product, cheaper, or do something with it, that would piss you off. Would you like that? I didn't think so. Apple has a deal with AT&T, if they wanted to, they would have sold the phone is unlocked, if this unlocking thing keeps happening, AT&T can easily just drop out of this iPhone thing because they won't be making money.
  
  I think Apple has a right to brick anyone's phone, it sucks I know, but they are just trying to protect their product.

  11.10.2007 13:17 #3

• OzMick

  Rudeboi: The issue here is that neither Apple or AT&T are losing money out of this. Apple has been paid for the iPhone. AT&T still has you in their contract, so you have to pay that out whether you make 0 calls or 1000. A lot of people with unlocked phones probably still use their service still, but have it unlocked as an extra option for in an emergency.
  
  Yes, a licence was accepted when the phone box was opened, but as the owner of the hardware, users should be able to do what they want with it. All Apple needed to do was refuse to update the phone, bricking it is low and a very bad PR move.

  11.10.2007 13:29 #4

• theridges

  Quote:Originally posted by slmh1296: WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.They are a company, called Apple.
  
  They are just like any other company.
  
  Say YOU opened up a company, and then consumers found out ways to get your product, cheaper, or do something with it, that would piss you off. Would you like that? I didn't think so. Apple has a deal with AT&T, if they wanted to, they would have sold the phone is unlocked, if this unlocking thing keeps happening, AT&T can easily just drop out of this iPhone thing because they won't be making money.
  
  I think Apple has a right to brick anyone's phone, it sucks I know, but they are just trying to protect their product.even if its unlocked i still dont believe u can use it on another network..but i may be wrong...

  11.10.2007 13:31 #5

• chaos_zzz

  good for the bricked ones , that update was just wrong

  11.10.2007 13:55 #6

• pcrazy99

  Quote:Originally posted by slmh1296: WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.They are a company, called Apple.
  
  They are just like any other company.
  
  Say YOU opened up a company, and then consumers found out ways to get your product, cheaper, or do something with it, that would piss you off. Would you like that? I didn't think so. Apple has a deal with AT&T, if they wanted to, they would have sold the phone is unlocked, if this unlocking thing keeps happening, AT&T can easily just drop out of this iPhone thing because they won't be making money.
  
  I think Apple has a right to brick anyone's phone, it sucks I know, but they are just trying to protect their product.I don't think Apple has any right to brick a phone once it is sold. It's like if I bought a brand new car and I wanted to upgrade the engine to get as much hp as I could. Should the car company have the right to disable my vehicle because I did something that they did not approve?

  11.10.2007 14:33 #7

• svtstang

  Who cares? Not me! If somebody had a legitimate iphone with no modding and it bricked, then it would be different. This is just to appease all the cry babies who decided to take it upon themselves to modify their phone in a way seen illegitimate by Apple.
  
  @joonbugg
  
  Three posts equals a triple post....edit button for the win....

  11.10.2007 14:41 #8

• Hacker06

  wasent there a guy suing apple for locking there phones. well looks like he lost his case
  

  
  
  Thanks Sicdude For Sig.
  (+\HACKED\%)H06.H06.H06.H06.H06.H06.H06.H06.H06.H06H06

  11.10.2007 14:48 #9

• joe777

  To the group that hacked the update "YEAH THOSE ROTTEN FOLKS AT APPLE MAKING YOU PAY FOR A NEW PHONE!!!, COME HERE FOR 99$ AND WE WILL FIX IT" man ah'll tell you what, that is F**KING low. 1.Hack for profit? or 2.reward with a big F**KS fly out to the man. Oh yeah it was financial ah forgot myself for a mo there. Your not my number 1, fascists.

  11.10.2007 15:02 #10

• ps2racer

  Originally posted by pcrazy99: I don't think Apple has any right to brick a phone once it is sold. It's like if I bought a brand new car and I wanted to upgrade the engine to get as much hp as I could. Should the car company have the right to disable my vehicle because I did something that they did not approve?pcrazy99 you are right. No Apple does not have the right to brick a phone once it is sold. Neither should a car company have the right to disable your car. What Apple can do is refuse to update the phone and if they paid for a extra warranty it would no longer be good. Just like if you upgrade the engine to get more hp in your car, then you blow it up. The car company can refuse to fix the car even though it is still under warranty, because it was somthing you did.

  11.10.2007 19:55 #11

• ydkjman

  If I had an iPhone which I don't and it got bricked I would want to do what I could to fix it.
  
  So my thought would be should I drop $100 on getting this software, the answer to my self would be Yes if the would make future updates Free.

  11.10.2007 20:03 #12

• DoomLight

  im sure there is a torrent out there that has this 99 dollar downgrader software for the iphone.

  11.10.2007 21:36 #13

• ydkjman

  Originally posted by DoomLight: im sure there is a torrent out there that has this 99 dollar downgrader software for the iphone.Going to their web page it looks like they might have this covered as to where you can't just get it from a torrent site
  
  2. Register your true IMEI (found engraved on the back of your phone) with our servers through one of our trusted resellers.

  11.10.2007 22:52 #14

• ydkjman

  Originally posted by ydkjman:
  So my thought would be should I drop $100 on getting this software, the answer to my self would be Yes if the would make future updates Free.This is good to know.
  
  If an update is required, we will offer it for free IF we are able to provide it.

  11.10.2007 22:54 #15

• morguex

  Originally posted by slmh1296: I love it. That did not take long,what about a week. Poor poor Apple. I wonder how much they paid their tech team for a solution, when are they going to learn. All thought I beat it was to make AT&T happy.
  I still can not believe they bricked people's phones that is F*#%ked up serves them right I would be pissed if a company did something like that to me and the deal with the prices I know when new tech comes out it cost more but a month later that is a bit ridiculous. WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.
  The reason the phones got bricked in the first place was because people used 3rd party software, I hardly think thats apple's fault.
  You wanna use 3rd party software and then do an up date from the company who made the product in the first place and then it causes problems with the product. There's only one person to blame and thats YOU!!!.

  12.10.2007 05:02 #16

• morguex

  Originally posted by svtstang: Who cares? Not me! If somebody had a legitimate iphone with no modding and it bricked, then it would be different. This is just to appease all the cry babies who decided to take it upon themselves to modify their phone in a way seen illegitimate by Apple.
  
  @joonbugg
  
  Three posts equals a triple post....edit button for the win....
  Thank You Svtstang
  Could'nt have put it better myself.

  12.10.2007 05:25 #17

• plazma247

  morguex are you an apple plant or what.. ?
  
  Does it matter what you think about modding the iphone, it?s not as if you can laugh at all the people who previously had a bricked phone anymore.
  
  The BBC just reported a test case is going through against apple, the suit is made under Californian anti competition laws.
  
  Its going to clarify the lines on the AT&T contract and determine if its legal to avoid anti-competitive laws by having something in the service contract.
  
  Which ever side of the line it?s going to fall... its going to make things interesting which ever way it goes.
  
  If the judge rules they didn?t, it sort of gives a green light to apple and all other companies..... This for a user?s point of view is a bad thing.
  
  The other way the plaintiff wins apples and at&t are going to have to allow the unlocking of the phones, like I said the feature has to be implemented shortly anyway.... possibly when the phones comes into other countries where the law is different to the USA, this of course is better for the consumer and will send the industry a clear message, which in light of recent law changes to allow the unlocking provision of phones would echo the previous decision.
  
  Even if the case does fail and rules with apple and at&t it doesn?t mean they are going to be able to do the same in other countries.
  
  And to all the lets laugh at the people who broke their phone despite being told doing so may break it, why don?t you just chill out as your reason to heckle is gone as the phones are not broken anymore.
  
  The bottom line was these people modified their phones and broken them and shouldn?t cry about it is so far from the point, people mod phones all the time.
  
  To try and clarify things,
  
  Firstly the real thing on discussion is that apples/at&t?s contract has something in it that contradicts anti completion laws, or maybe it doesn?t. But fact remains it?s the first time this has been included in this way.
  
  Secondly as I had said in a previous post, there is no other full device firmware update as far as im aware that will kill your device by loading the original firmware update. In fact in most cases this is what you do de-brick a broken modified firmware. This again is the first time a manufactures firmware flash has completely locked down all functions of a modified device after an update. Additionally to this it?s pretty clear from the reports of IMEI numbers being change so apple call centres would know it was a modded phone, indicate that apples update was actually detecting the mod as well.
  
  Microsoft xbox live anti mod update recently did something similar by detecting a mod, however even this left the boxes fully working and simply locked out the xbox live account.
  
  Windows update detected cracks / patches / etc and locked down windows update, which was all it did it to the overall operation of the machine afterwards.
  
  at&t have also been reported in the last weeks to have included into their broadband customers contracts that online slander/discussion of their business online by users of their service will result in the termination of the users contract.
  
  So again apple and at&t have gone one step further into the darkness than anyone else (corporation) has feared to tread before.
  
  Call it a bold move call it a move of idiotic nature which illustrates once a company has thrown the shackles of small trade and hit the big time they have a tendency to forget about the customer and focus on making the most money, call it what you want.
  
  As an after note to all the laugh at the broken iphone users out there who im sure will post endless amounts tosh back at me. First stop and think, have I not just illustrated that apple and at&t had indeed taken a risk in the recent months... ok its a different risk but its still something they are told they cant do but did it anyway.
  
  So at the same time you?re really laughing at apple and at&t... ok they are on different sides of the fence but both arrived at the same point by the same means, be it by a slightly different road.
  
  Now it all lies with the judge in California, who is the only one to say if what has happened is right or wrong. I hope he/she realises and considers the impact of their verdict as it will have strong implications which ever side of the fence it lands.
  
  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6978110.stm
  <-- BBC?s Report
  
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/11406.cfm
  <-- Suit against apple
  
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/11336.cfm
  <-- now broken?
  
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/11274.cfm
  <-- and where it all started.

  13.10.2007 06:46 #18

• morguex

  Hey plasma247, I started to read your post but got bored and sleepy, I wasn't heckling people with bricked phones.
  The simple point I was trying to make was, if you choose to hack your phone with 3rd party software, and then a update from the company who made the device screws it up, don't whine about it.
  anyway i'm not going to respond to you anymore, I've got other things to do.
  Peace all

  13.10.2007 09:15 #19

• ZzeusS

  Originally posted by joe777: To the group that hacked the update "YEAH THOSE ROTTEN FOLKS AT APPLE MAKING YOU PAY FOR A NEW PHONE!!!, COME HERE FOR 99$ AND WE WILL FIX IT" man ah'll tell you what, that is F**KING low. 1.Hack for profit? or 2.reward with a big F**KS fly out to the man. Oh yeah it was financial ah forgot myself for a mo there. Your not my number 1, fascists.S'ok. Anyone who can hack their iphone can dig up the hacked SimFree program just as easy.

  13.10.2007 11:21 #20

• jetyi83

  obviously he doesnt know what fascism is

  13.10.2007 12:13 #21

• jetyi83

  obviously he doesnt know what fascism is

  13.10.2007 12:13 #22

• borhan9

  Well at least thats something better than nothing and i feel sooner or later this kinda thing will be accessible through the normal other channels. :)

  13.10.2007 12:59 #23

• pmshah

  Quote:Originally posted by slmh1296: WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.They are a company, called Apple.
  
  They are just like any other company.
  
  Say YOU opened up a company, and then consumers found out ways to get your product, cheaper, or do something with it, that would piss you off. Would you like that? I didn't think so. Apple has a deal with AT&T, if they wanted to, they would have sold the phone is unlocked, if this unlocking thing keeps happening, AT&T can easily just drop out of this iPhone thing because they won't be making money.
  
  I think Apple has a right to brick anyone's phone, it sucks I know, but they are just trying to protect their product.What would be interesting is to lay your hands on the agreement between Apple & AT&T. That would be a revelation of anti-consumer activity!
  
  BTW why should apple care what end users do with their phones? They have got their money for the device.

  14.10.2007 01:15 #24

• Markman29

  Quote:Quote:Originally posted by slmh1296: WHO THE HELL DO THING THINK THEY ARE!!!!!!!.They are a company, called Apple.
  
  They are just like any other company.
  
  Say YOU opened up a company, and then consumers found out ways to get your product, cheaper, or do something with it, that would piss you off. Would you like that? I didn't think so. Apple has a deal with AT&T, if they wanted to, they would have sold the phone is unlocked, if this unlocking thing keeps happening, AT&T can easily just drop out of this iPhone thing because they won't be making money.
  
  I think Apple has a right to brick anyone's phone, it sucks I know, but they are just trying to protect their product.What would be interesting is to lay your hands on the agreement between Apple & AT&T. That would be a revelation of anti-consumer activity!
  
  BTW why should apple care what end users do with their phones? They have got their money for the device.
  yeah i agree. apple is getting big bucks from people buying their phone. so why are they wasting money on developing new firmware thats going to be broken anyway. this sounds like something Sony would do.

  14.10.2007 10:18 #25

• borhan9

  Well at least this is at a reasonable rate. Also this just goes to show you that upgrading is not always the best choice. Note Vista :P

  22.10.2007 17:57 #26

• joe777

  @jetyi83 you little s***!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism
  
  Can you read??????????? No????????? your only 14 years old. Please ask your parents before you post anything else!!!!!!!!!!!
  Thank you for all your participation.
  
  P.S I am 15, and a half!!!!!! you liar, I gonna tell your parents!!!

  24.10.2007 21:01 #27

• LOCOENG

  joe777 lets watch the lanquage and not flame other users.
  

  Don't forget about your Buddies The rules ~ http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
  

  24.10.2007 21:38 #28

• phobet

  To this day, I still cannot get over the amount of money they want, for a device that is locked into one provider. For that amount of money, they device should be unlocked, and you should be able to do what ever you want with it (as long as it doesn't interfere with the carrier's network).

  24.4.2008 02:41 #29