New Firmware Fixes Previously Bricked iPhones

drcagn writes "Ars Technica reports that Apple's new 1.1.3 firmware update unbricks iPhones damaged from unlocking and updating the firmware months ago. In September, users who hacked their iPhone's firmware to unlock it found their iPhone bricked when they updated to new firmware, creating a massive upset and internet furor. Although Apple claimed this was not an intended effect of the update, it held the stance that it is not their responsibility to ensure that updates work with users' warranty-voiding hacks, and many cried foul. This update, which provides new features Jobs showed off at Macworld, while not officially unbricking the iPhone, has restored iPhones from Gizmodo and a reader of the Unofficial Apple Weblog."

It doesn't unbrick all iPhones

[MSRedfox]

If you look at http://www.hackint0sh.org/ [hackint0sh.org] (forums for the anysim iPhone unlock method), you'll see that some iBricks don't get fixed using this trick. So while this method may work for some, it isn't the cure all for all iPhone hacking mistakes.

Hackers Did This Months Ago

[Doomstalk]

I "unbricked" my phone back in October. The iPhone development community built a utility that rebuilt your lockstate tables way back then. Welcome to the party Apple.

Re:Cue the bitching

[peragrin]

No you don't the $20 is for software that will turn the iPod touch into a PDA. Including mail client etc, that should have been included from the start.

that update has nothing to due with the iphone at all.

Re:Confused

[jrumney]

I think people splitting hairs about the use of the term "brick" are missing the point.

Bricked is when you need to take out the soldering iron and connect up a JTAG cable. If you can still communicate with the firmware loader over USB, it isn't bricked.

This is the link to the Ars Technica story

[Guy Harris]

Somehow the link to the story [arstechnica.com] appears to have gotten lost.

Re:stop saying "BRICKED!!!"

[Discordantus]

good grief, listen to yourself!!!!

"irrevocable" is an absolute term, just like "bricked". By very definition, if something is eventually revoked, it wasn't irrevocable.

Please, go back to grade school. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars.