According to C/Net, two weeks to the day after Apple’s iPhone software update wiped third-party applications from the device and disabled unlocked phones, the hackers have struck back.
The Unofficial Apple Weblog and iPhone Atlas have tested the latest hack and have declared that it works, assuming you have a certain amount of knowledge of the iPhone’s command line interface.
If you accidentally disabled your iPhone with unlocking software from anySIM or iUnlock, you can now unbrick your iPhone. The latest hack allows iPhone users who have already installed the OS X 1.1.1 update to revert their iPhones to the previous 1.0.2 update, “jailbreak” it for third-party applications, and then update back to the 1.1.1 version without the cell door slamming shut, says C/Net.
Navizon’s Triangulating GPS application is one such application that can be downloaded free. Navizon uses WiFi positioning to show where your iPhone is located on Google Maps.
Cellular companies prefer “walled gardens” (or more precisely “walled prisons”). By locking out 3rd party applications, you can be forced to pay $10-$20/month to the cellular operator.
- AT&T’s TeleNav GPS Navigator costs $9.99/month for Location Based applications like tracking and navigation.
- Sprint Nextel charges $9.99 for Monthly Access or $2.99 Per Day (good for 24 hours) for Navigation and Tracking
- Verizon’s VZ Navigator costs $9.99 for Monthly Access or $2.99 Per Day (good for 24 hours); same deal with their tracking service called Chaperone.
“Unlocking” the functionality that’s available inside cell phones is the last thing cellular operators — especially AT&T and Verizon — want to do. David Pogue at the NY Times reviews 3rd party apps for the iPhone. His video demonstrates some of the nifty applications and how easy they are to install.
It illustrates why the “open” model is so powerful.
The gPhone is coming. Duck and cover. Most cell companies (and Ralph Whitworth) can’t handle the truth — an “open” model for 3rd party apps provides consumers with more service at less cost.
Mobile WiMAX on an “open” platform is a digital bomb. It’s set to go off this year.
