Hacking

Apple's newest update for the iPhone, firmware version 1.1.1 has been released and includes a long list of feature additions, bug fixes, and security enhancements. As always, the new firmware can be installed on your iPhone via the iPhone "check for updates" button in iTunes.

As previously reported, Apple has made it quite clear that applying the update to a modified or "hacked" iPhone can cause permanent and irreparable harm to the device which will NOT be covered under and Apple warranty. if you have performed ANY type of unauthorized modifications to your iPhone (custom ringtones, jailbreaking, custom software, and especially unlocking), make sure to read on and/or research the new update before applying it.

Apple released iTunes 7.4.2 earlier today, officially geared towards addressing an "issue with creating ringtones using iTunes Plus song purchases and includes bug fixes to improve stability and performance," according to Apple's release notes. For many users, however, the update seems to have made matters worse.

Though still an early beta, a GUI version of the iUnlock software is now available. Released yesterday, the iUnlock software provides a completely free Apple iPhone software unlock solution comparable to pay solution such as iPhoneSIMFree which can cost upwards of $100. This latest GUI version, Unlock.app, greatly simplifies the original iUnlock process.

With Unlock.app, the steps to unlock the iPhone have been reduced from around 20 steps to 3. Using

"You wanted it, we have it. Enjoy your free iPhone."

Such was the announcement on the iPhone Dev Wiki team's website when their ultimate goal - a full software unlock of the Apple iPhone - was acheived. Simple as that.

Hot on the heels of the troubled release of the iPhoneSIMFree Unlock solution, the iPhone Dev Wiki team - who has been responsible for virtually every publically available innovation involving the iPhone and

After weeks of anticipation, yesterday the iPhoneSIMFree software unlock solution became the first software of it's kind to become publically available. Gizmodo had exclusive access to some of the experiences of the first customers to purchase a retail copy of iPhoneSIMFree and attempt to use it to unlock their iPhones. Unfortunately, the news wasn't very good.

Based on the experiences of three customers who attempted the iPhoneSIMFree unlock, numerous road blocks may exist to keep the average user from a stress-free unlocking experience. Several of the initial

Though many people thought that purported legal pressure and/or simple fear was going to prevent the iPhoneSIMFree software, which performs a full software unlock on the Apple iPhone, from ever seeing the light of day - think again. After reports earlier in the week that the iPhoneSIMFree program was purchased by third party, the software is now available for purchase worldwide.

Currently, four different online retailers are selling the iPhoneSIMFree software, and all at a different

Though, like last time, it may only be a short while before Apple releases yet another iTunes update to close up a ringtone loophole - free ringtones are back under iTunes 7.4.1.

iTunes 7.4.1 was released just the other day as a remedy to the free ringtones loophole discovered by a MacRumors forum reader which allowed any music file to be used on the iPhone as a ringtone simply by renaming the file to an .M4R extension and bringing it into iTunes.

Though 7.4.1 broke the original method, as it turns out, a very similar and only slightly more complicated method will let you accomplish the same feat under the latest version of iTunes.

Here's how:

Shortly after iTunes 7.4 was released, users were greeted by the discovery of a MacRumors forum user which revealed a way to sync custom ringtones to your iPhone for free, simply by renaming files. Immediately following was a great deal of speculation as to whether this "loophole" was left open by Apple intentionally, or if it was a rookie-like mistake.

Unfortunately, the latter seems to be the case. Within 24 hours of releasing iTunes 7.4, users were alerted

It was announced yesterday that a second company was preparing to provide software that would unlock the Apple iPhone and allow it to be used on any GSM network worldwide. The announcement, which came from mobile phone unlocking company UniquePhones, promised the software would be available to consumers today (August 25th), for a price between $25 and $50.

The initial team, which proved their iPhone unlocking software works, iPhoneSIMfree.com has not yet publically released their software. They have, however, unlocked phones for press outlets. Their delay in releasing would have made the Uniquephones solution the first publically available unlocking tool.

Unfortunately, alleged legal warnings from AT&T via a law firm out of Silicon Valley, have seemingly put a halt on the process. According to the project's blog

We all knew it was only a matter of time. For some it has taken longer than expected while others are shocked at how rapidly hackers were able to tear apart the reportedly impenetrable Apple defenses on the iPhone. Regardless of your level of surprise, the fact of the matter is that the iPhone is now fully unlocked, and the iPhone can be used on any GSM carrier anywhere in the world.

The unlock is here, without question, though it might not be from the source most people were expecting. The iPhone Dev Wiki team, which has been behind the vast majority of progress in hacking the iPhone, and who have been knocking at the full unlock door for weeks were not behind the unlock. Though it's unclear whether or not their efforts contributed to the unlock (it is incredibly likely that it did), the unlock announcement came from another source.