A new year and a new beginning for the iPhone

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To this date, the iPhone has only been offered by mobile service giant AT&T (In the U.S.). That has been the biggest down-side to many people interested in purchasing the device. In most rural areas, AT&T simply doesn't offer 3G speeds which defeats the main emphasis of the iPhone. Whilst we were all out spending the last few moments of 2008 with our friends and family, a hacker group calling themselves the "iPhone Dev Team" was hard at work finalizing a program that finally "unlocks" the iPhone.

Wait, it's already been done hasn't it? Negative, there is tremendous difference when it comes to "unlocking" a mobile device and "jailbreaking" a device. When you "jailbreak" your iPhone, you simply are hacking your iPhone to allow it to be updated with a different OS, installing applications that don't come from the iPhone Store, and various other tweets and customization features. However, when you "unlock" your iPhone that opens up the gate to allow you to switch to GSM service providers like T-Mobile, O2, and Vodafone.

The team also noted, "The iPhone 3G is used all over the world with all sorts of SIM cards, and we almost certainly will see untested and unexpected situations. If the soft unlock doesn't work for you on day 1 (literally day 1, of 2009!) then please don't panic or be impatient. This is new territory for everyone, so enjoy the ride as much as you can :)."

This is BETA software!, please use caution when installing it on your system!

View: Official Announcement

#1 qdave on 01 Jan 2009 - 20:59

Finally. a long awaited thing

now i can finally get rid of my old iphone and get the 3g model

(4 replies) #2 +d4v1d05 on 01 Jan 2009 - 21:26

Small typo, it's "Vodafone," not "Vodaphone"

Glad to hear they've finally cracked it

EDIT: Also, download link seems to be .com, but it's http://www.yellowsn0w.net/

#2.1 Rob on 01 Jan 2009 - 21:36

That site is a scammer whose just reposting our news to get ad revenue. Avoid. better to remove the Download link entirely and just have the link to the Announcement. Plus, it's yellowsn0w, not yell0wsnow.

#2.2 RebelSean on 01 Jan 2009 - 21:54

Fixed, sorry guys >.<.

#2.3 Marshalus on 02 Jan 2009 - 03:56

I'm really confused. The link on the dev-team blog goes to .com ?

#2.4 RebelSean on 02 Jan 2009 - 13:36

Marshalus said,

That's what I was thinking this morning as I woke up and was re-reading the article.

(4 replies) #3 episode on 01 Jan 2009 - 21:27

I love the logic.

'Can't get 3G speeds on AT&T in the US ... so you can now use it on T-Mobile, whose 3G network is basically non-existent.'

Yes, I realize it is different elsewhere in the world.

#3.1 Airlink on 02 Jan 2009 - 04:10

That's what you get for living in the US: Sucky internet speeds and even suckier cell phone plans.

#3.2 zalman on 02 Jan 2009 - 04:41

Airlink said,

then give me money so i can move

#3.3 episode on 02 Jan 2009 - 04:50

I'm not complaining about AT&T. Speed is fine for me when I need it, and most of the time I have Wi-Fi anyway. I'm just saying the logic the poster used to justify the unlock is flawed for the US.

#3.4 +Chicane-UK on 02 Jan 2009 - 14:46

T-Mobile are teh suck in the UK as well. I never ever had signal on my old Nokia 6300 when I was with T-Mobile. I was so glad to get off them and go back to O2.. just a bonus that I could get the iPhone through O2 as well

#4 AEDan1977 on 02 Jan 2009 - 04:52

The only hard part is you will have to find an iPhone online on ebay or someone that has one and is selling it. AT&T, Apple, Best Buy, and Walmart will not let an iPhone leave the store if it is not activated on AT&T's Network at the point of sale.

#5 madkingsoup on 02 Jan 2009 - 14:13

But will the next update from Apple relock it?

#6 +macf13nd on 02 Jan 2009 - 15:12

I like O2, so no worries here! :-)

(1 reply) #7 tylershaw on 02 Jan 2009 - 17:34

My issue with AT&T hasn't necessarily been with their lack of fast 3G as much as it's been a problem with having a dependable phone signal at my home. It's true that I have fewer dropped calls when I turn off 3G while I'm at home, but I shouldn't have to go in to my settings every time I leave or enter my front door and turn 3G on or off.

I've had more dropped calls in my 3 months with AT&T than I had in the 4 years that I was with T-Mobile.

#7.1 episode on 02 Jan 2009 - 21:02

Are you updated to firmware 2.2?
Also, have you looked into a cell repeater? Yeah I know it sucks to spend the money on one, but if you have some sort of signal then it would easily replicate it all over your house.

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