Jailbreaking

Jailbreaking is a process that allows iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch users to run any code on their devices, as opposed to only that code authorized by Apple. Once jailbroken, iPhone users are able to download many applications previously unavailable through the App Store via unofficial installers such as Cydia, as well as illegally pirated apps. A jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch is still able to use and update apps downloaded and purchased from Apple’s official App Store.

Jailbreaking is distinct from SIM unlocking, which, once completed, means that the mobile phone will accept any SIM without restriction on, for example, the country or network operator of origin. Jailbreaking, according to Apple, voids Apple’s warranty on the device, although this is quickly remedied by restoring the device in iTunes.

Cydia founder Jay Freeman estimates that 8.5% of all iPods and iPhones are jailbroken.

History

The first jailbreaking method was released on July 10, 2007, which initially was meant to provide a way to use custom ringtones.^[2] On August 6, 2007 the first third-party game was released for the iPhone and iPod Touch.^[3]

On October 10, 2007, about 3 months after the original iPhone was released, another method to jailbreak the iPhone was discovered.^[4] Apple and hackers then engaged in a cat-and-mouse game to patch up security holes and to exploit them. Hackers eventually released a tool to permanently jailbreak iPhone OS 1.0.

Upon the release of iPhone OS 2.0, a hacker group called the iPhone Dev Team released a jailbreaking application named PwnageTool that used a graphical user interface.^[5]

In January 2009, the iPhone Dev Team commenced work on jailbreaking the iPod Touch 2G.^[6] redsn0w lite was the code name for a tethered iPod Touch 2G jailbreak, and in April, redsn0w 0.1 was released.^[7]

On March 10, 2009, the untethered jailbreak was released for the iPod Touch 2G utilizing an exploit found by the Chronic Dev Team, and developed with the help of iPhone Dev Team member planetbeing. It was released as a rough patch, and was not implemented into a GUI until the next month, when planetbeing made redsn0w based on QuickPwn sources.

On March 17, 2009, Apple announced the release of iPhone OS 3.0.^[8] Three months later, the iPhone Dev Team released PwnageTool 3.0 and redsn0w 0.7.2, which allowed users of the original iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPod Touch running the OS 3.0 to be jailbroken on both Macs and PCs.^[9]

On September 9, 2009, Apple released iPhone OS 3.1, again disabling the ability to jailbreak the device. Once again the dev team released a jailbreak for all devices (except for the iPod Touch 3rd Generation), called Pwnage Tool 3.1-3.^[10]

On October 11, 2009, George Hotz, known under alias geohot, released the tool blackra1n, which allows the jailbreaking of all iPhones (Up to 3GS) and iPod touch (Up to 3G) devices running iPhone OS 3.1.2 (although the iPod touch 3rd generation and iPhone 3GS are tethered; they must be plugged into a computer every time it boots).

On November 2, 2009 Hotz released a newer version of blackra1n, RC3, an update that was able to jailbreak the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS along with a tethered jailbreak on the iPod Touch 3G 8GB model. This included the most recently-manufactured devices that featured an updated boot ROM in which Apple had closed the 24kpwn loophole exploited by previous jailbreaks. Hotz also released blacksn0w an unlocking application for the iPhone which was capable of unlocking the newest baseband version, 5.11.07.

Greenpois0n, a jailbreak program not unlike PwnageTool is currently in development, Greenpois0n uses a type of jailbreak said to be different in kind from any earlier program, which would thus be effective for some time before Apple manages to patch up the exploit. Greenpois0n will most likely be released when the iPhone 4G and the iPhone 4.0 OS comes out this summer, so apple won’t patch up the exploit if they decide to release it early. Greenpois0n will be an untethered jailbreak for the iPod Touch models, iPhone models, and iPad models when it releases soon.

iPod Touch 1G, 2G, and 3G can be downgraded. 3G iPod touch owners can download 2nd generation 3.1.2 firmware and then jailbreak with Blackra1n RC3, or wait until GreenPois0n is released. For 3rd Generation owners, this will be a tethered jailbreak, meaning every time they completely turn the iPod off they will have to re-jailbreak their device using Blackra1n. Blackra1n can be seen in the 2nd picture on the top-left of the SpringBoard.

On March 20, 2010, Comex and Posixninja (wo members of the iphone dev team) released the video “Spirit” showing an iPod Touch 3rd generaion booting up while jailbroken, or wih a full jailbreak as opposed to the tethered jailbreak prior using George Hots’ Blackra1n. They announced it was a userland jailbreak, a much lighter and easily patchable jailbreak not used since 1.X firmwares. He said it worked perfectly fine for the iPod touch 3g and the iPhone 3GS, and that it would probably work for the iPad too, when i was released.

On March 25, 2010, Hotz found another exploit to jailbreak iPod Touch 3G, and iPhone 3GS new bootroom 3.1.3+ untethered. He said that the jailbreak will be entirely software-based, and a release date has yet to be announced.

On April 4, 2010 the day after the iPad Wifi model was released, the Chonic dev team tweeted a picture of their iPad jailbroken.

On April 9, 2010, Geohot has jailbroken an iPad(wi-fi model) possibly untethered. Geohot ran several codes and he claimed that the jailbreak works, and so far a release date has not yet been given. The name of the jailbreak will be called Limera1n instead of Blackra1n. Limera1n will jailbreak all iPod Touch Models, iPhone Models, and iPad models untethered. Geohot will most likely release Limera1n when the iPhone 4G releases with the iPhone OS 4.0 firmware this summer.

On May 2, 2010 shortly after the iPad 3G release date, Spirit was released. It is said to work on all iPod touches, all iPhones, and all models of the iPad on 3.1.3-3.2. It is made similar to Blackra1n, with only a single button to jailbreak, rather than Redsn0w, which had a bigger menu of options. The jailbreak is untethered.