Apple’s New iPhone 4 Anti-Jailbreaking/Unlocking Security Feature?

So apparently an Apple employee calling himself Alpha, decided to share with the world some of the things that Apple is doing with the new iPhone 4. We’re not talking about new features for the user, but new roadblocks for jailbreakers and unlockers.

Here’s the quote itself:

As far as Base Bands go it does not matter what baseband you TRY to get on the iPhone cause in the iOS4 there is a line of code we wrote that stands for OAU also known as “Over Air Updates”. How it works is every 7 to 14 days We (Apple) and AT&T send a message to your iPhone that gathers some data from your iPhone without you knowing and we see what is running, baseband and firmware. We then send a following message. “There are optional updates for your iPhone, Would you like to install them now?” two options “Yes” or “Later”. Those are what would would call “OPTIONAL UPDATES” Now there are things called “MANDATORY UPDATES”. They tend to work the same way, grab data from the iPhones sends it to AT&T and us then back to your iPhone with the message, “Your iPhone (name of iphone) must be updated to the current AT&T standards to run”, your only option is to “Accept” Now you can try to work your way around it until you get the second mandatory message again “You must plug iPhone into iTunes and update” If you don’t do this you will then receive no Signal from the network anymore and your iPhone will potentially lock up with no signs of use until you update your iPhone via iTunes. You all agreed to this terms and condition when you installed iTunes 9.2 and then again once you updated to iOS4.

With that being said go ahead try to unlock the iPhone it will only last 14 days max then you will have to break that update for that one week then again and again we currently have 6 months worth of updates for this iOS4. Apple and AT&T now have complete control over their iPhones and what their customers are putting on them without them knowing anything about it. Many of the people I work with don’t agree with this but even in our computers when people call in to Apple Care Support we can see if your iPhone is running a jailbreak and what baseband is currently on the iPhone. We have been instructed to not support any one with these things and possible void your warranty of the iPhone for Breaking a contract Rule.

So basically, he is saying that iOS 4 automatically pings Apple every 7 to 14 days with the baseband and firmware information and if it isn’t up to par it will essentially lock up the phone forcing you to update with iTunes (and lose your jailbreak). Now, I know for a fact that we have a perfectly good jailbreaking solution for the iPhone 3G running iOS 4 and it doesn’t relock so I’m wondering if this anti-jailbreaking solution is already circumvented, or if it just only applies to new iPhone 4’s?

Anyone know anything else about this? Does the Dev Team know about this?

UPDATE: Please don’t send us why you think this is wrong and then say how we made it up. Follow the source links and talk to them about it. We are simply reporting what we saw and just like you don’t know if there is any validity to this at all. I’ve never heard of a manufacturer sending out an OTA (as this employee claims Apple will do to lock your phone). Usually carriers can do that, not the manufacturer. So if it’s AT&T doing this (again if this is even real at ALL), than obviously it won’t matter (since if you unlock your phone, you won’t be on AT&T, right?).

I’m willing to bet this is what Apple tells their employees to spread the fear of why you shouldn’t jailbreak etc. (I’ve heard plenty of stories from Apple employees in the stores over the years about how jailbreaking the phone will cause it to instantly void the warranty, cause you to not be able to use the App Store, explode, cause nuclear winter etc.)

Source via SFGate

21 thoughts on “Apple’s New iPhone 4 Anti-Jailbreaking/Unlocking Security Feature?”

  1. this is total BS…… how in the world is AT&T going to send an OTA update on a phone thats on T-Mobile’s network (which the phone most likely will be if it is unlocked). Secondly if the Dev Team can modify the code on the iPhone to jailbreak it in the first place, then when Pwnage Tool (the program used to jailbreak) creates the custom IPSW (the customized operating system) it will simply remove that little bit of programing that allows these supposed OTA updates. All of that is, of course if this story is even true, which I doubt it is because of so many privacy laws in place.

  2. me 2 cheech!!! anybody who buys a iphone supports the idea of corporate control. i hate apple and will never buy a single product of theres. GO ANDROID OPEN SOURCE FOR LIFE!!!!

  3. Joey Lardieri

    The Unlockr,

    Does this only apply to the iPhone 4?
    cause im getting an iPhone 3G in a few days and i was wondering if i can still unlock/jailbreak on iOS4!
    THANKS! =]

    1. Joey Lardieri,

      We aren’t even sure if this is real too be honest, we are taking the word of a site who says an Apple employee contacted them….
      But as far as if it is true, the iPhone 3G does not seem to be effected as it can be jailbroken and unlocked on iOS4 without issue (click on How To’s then iPhone/Apple How To’s and you’ll see our video instructions on how to jailbreak it).

  4. Obviously hasnt done anything on the 3gs yet because apple hasnt released ios 4.0.1 yet, or updated the baseband, or even the carrier version since the release of ios4… I only hope that this post is wrong and we will still have our freedom!!

  5. i think it might be a bunk rumor but it makes me think about when that one guy who found the iphone in the bar and found that the next day that the iphone he found wouldint work at all.. im sure the modders and hackers can find a way around it but just saying if apple and att could find out if your running jailbreaked or not they could later gather that information and find a fix and update? i know they dont want to let people use the iphone on other carriers but this is just rediculous. it should be up to the owner where they choose to use thier phone after all they are the one who payed for it right?

  6. APPPPLE I LOVE YOU BUT, COME ON NOW PLEASEE DONT DO THISSSSS! If I paid full price for a mobile cellular device I should have the right to choose what carrier I would prefer to have service from! I just really dont get it, i just dont.

  7. Not true by what I know, for a few reasons.

    1. iPhones, being sim card phones cannot get OTA updates.

    2. Apple canNOT see if phones are jailbroke, this I know for a fact. I may or may not be an employee.

    3. iPhone jailbraks. While being frowned on, is legal, apple cannot do anything,

  8. yupe, i agree with Flexy. They have the rights to void but jailbreaking is still legal. it’s just another software where hackers would want the users to enjoy more , doesnt it work that way? 😛

  9. The_name_is_josh

    I have an iPhone 4 and have for about 6 months and haven’t gotten any message of the sort. I’m not worried.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.