iPhone Firmware

Apple has released a security fix for iOS 4 and users now have to decide whether or not to install the update. There are pros and cons to installing the update, mostly revolving around whether or not you're interested in jailbreaking your device. The security problem was first discovered and used by the Dev-Team to hack iOS 4 and provide a simple way to jailbreak through the Safari browser.

Now that Apple has released a fix, the developer responsible for the JailbreakMe 2.0 in-browser jailbreak software has made the source code of his exploit public. Let's be clear, the iOS 4.0.2 update will make jailbreaking with JailbreakMe 2.0 impossible, however now that the source code of the jailbreak is public, security threats are bound to multiply.

Apple has already developed a patch for the iOS 4 Mobile Safari exploit revealed by JailbreakMe. The security hole affects all iPhones, whether they are jailbroken or not. Malicious code could possibly take over the iPhone and steal personal information by taking advantage of weaknesses in the PDF display code built into Safari.

Currently, the only known software to take advantage of the exploit is the JailbreakMe 2.0 application, which loads itself into the iPhone via Safari and jailbreaks the device. The procedure has been described as brilliant and also scary by security experts who have been studying the inner workings of the code.

Unfortunately for some iPhone 3G users the iOS 4 update did not go very well. Reports have surfaced that the new firmware has problems running on the older hardware. The good news is that Apple is working on iOS 4.1, which will alleviate many of the problems with iPhone 3G compatibility.

In the meantime, upgraders have experienced premature battery drain and excessive heat coming from their devices. Performance has slowed to a crawl for some users as speed issues dominate, with many unable to run simple tasks without a headache.

Apple has released the first iPhone firmware update since iOS 4 was launched not even a month ago. The operating system officially went public on June 21 and has shipped on millions of iPhone 4 devices since then. iOS 4.0.1 is a minor update with changes to the cellular signal bars.

Apple promised the update after the company discovered an error in the way that signal bars were representing signal strength in areas with poor reception. Apparently the iPhone was making the signal appear stronger than it actually was at the lower end of the scale.