This week, Apple has been reported to be shipping iPhone 3GS handsets using a new bootrom, one that's expected to keep jailbreaking hacks at bay. However, a source from the popular hacking group iPhone Dev Team, which publishes jailbreaking tools for the platform, says it only makes the process a little more cumbersome.
That means earlier news of a jailbreak-proof (seriously, though, nothing's ever exploit-proof at this day and age) iPhone 3GS isn't even close. With the new hardware, users will be required to connect to a computer before being able to power up a jailbroken iPhone 3GS that's been shut down. Obviously, if you never turn off your handset, you won't be affected.
In a conversation with Wired.com, team member Eric McDonald explained that the current set of tools will continue to work for the latest batch of shipments. While the new bootrom disabled the "24kpwn" exploit currently used in the process, he said that the tool merely made it easier to boot up the phone after shut down. With the change, you can no longer boot solely via the handset.
Is it a hassle? Most definitely. Imagine running out of power on the road. Sure, you can charge at the nearby Starbucks, but without an available computer, you can't turn the phone on. At the least, jailbroken devices will feel like an impractical burden. Will it discourage people from jailbreaking? I doubt it.
According to the Dev Team, they have also found a new exploit that can potentially be used to jailbreak the new hardware without dealing with a tethered boot. Implementing it into a new PwnageTool may take some time, however. I have to say, though, that was exceptionally fast.
[via Wired]
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