Hackers open core of Apple's iPhone

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Hackers open core of Apple's iPhone

Just over a week after the release of the iPhone 3G, hackers have opened up a whole new world to users of the device by releasing a tool allowing them to install third-party programs not sanctioned by Apple.

The news comes within days of a Brazilian company, DesbloqueioBr, claiming to have hacked the iPhone 3G so it can be used on any mobile network without the need to sign up for plans with exclusive carriers.

Meanwhile, Opera has released a new beta version of its mobile internet browser that brings iPhone-like web browsing to Windows Mobile-based devices. The new program makes the web browsing experience more like that on a desktop computer by displaying the entire web page instead of a cut-down made-for-mobile version.

Over the weekend a team of hackers calling themselves the "iPhone Dev Team" released a tool, "Pwnage 2.0.1", which allows unauthorised applications to be loaded on to the new iPhone and the iPod Touch.

The iPhone Dev Team was largely responsible for unlocking the first iPhone for use on any mobile network, allowing many Australians to import and use the first version of the device despite the fact that it was not on sale in this country.

However, Pwnage 2.0.1 does not unlock the new iPhone 3G for use on other networks - it simply allows users to install unauthorised applications. Without the hack, those looking to expand the functionality of the iPhone 3G can only download software for the device from Apple's App Store.

In a blog post the iPhone Dev Team said the response to the release of the tool was overwhelming.

"The downloads brought down several of our servers, and some of them have yet to recover!"

Apple has been criticised for taking a "walled garden" approach to the iPhone, restricting developers in terms of the types of applications they can write for distribution via the App Store. The new Pwnage tool means application developers and users can interact without the App Store and Apple's oversight.

By comparison, users of smart phones based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system have long been able to install whatever applications they wanted. This approach, however, hasn't been entirely successful as the quality of the applications is not consistent.

As well, the process of installing programs on Windows Mobile is more cumbersome than via the iPhone's App Store, which already contains hundreds of applications that can be piped to the device with little more than the push of a button.

The release of the Pwnage 2.0.1 hack is likely to spark a surge of developer interest in the device. Already an emulator for the archaic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games console has been released, allowing users to play NES games on their iPhone.

Other unofficial applications developed for the iPhone include Navizon (improves the built-in GPS by updating the user's location very 10 seconds, not just when the "locate me" button is pushed), iSMS (send text messages to multiple recipients) and Native VNC (control your Mac or PC from the iPhone).

The hack can only be installed from a Mac computer but step-by-step instructions for Windows users can be found here.

Apple announced last week it had sold more than 1 million iPhone 3G handsets in just three days following its release.

Source: smh.com.au

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