iPhone OS 3.0 gets jailbroken, but not unlocked

We’re all eagerly awaiting Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s mid-year launch of the iPhone 3.0 OS. With new features like copy/paste support and stereo Bluetooth in tow, the next iPhone OS iteration is expected to make a big splash. And, it looks like the iPhone OS 3.0 firmware has already been jailbroken. Thanks to Russian iPhone developer Vortex, iPhone 3.0 OS beta 2 can now be jailbroken!

The new iPhone OS 3.0 jailbreak solution has birthed an unofficial release of QuickPWN 3.0 Beta 2, allowing iPhone developers with legitimate iPhone dev accounts to jailbreak the unreleased firmware. It should be noted that this latest jailbreak solution doesn’t come from the venerable iPhone Dev Team, although they do admit that Vortex’s solution does work to jailbreak iPhone OS 3.0. Not to be outdone, the Dev Team posted a statement on their blog claiming that the iPhone 3.0 OS jailbreak was a simple matter, but The Team refrained from posting a jailbreak update to PwnageTool or QuickPWN due to some technical difficulties in getting iPhone 3.0 OS to play nice with the 02.28 baseband that is required for “yellowsn0w” to work on the iPhone 3G.

For the uninitiated, a “jailbreak” simply refers to a software workaround that opens up access to a mobile phone’s traditionally locked-down file-system. Jailbroken handsets can be customized with third-party applications that may be prohibited by the phone manufacturer or wireless carrier. On the iPhone OS, jailbreaking allows the user to install applications that enable video recording, MMS and even copy/paste support. The iPhone and iPhone 3G rely on a software utility known as “yellowsn0w.” Unfortunately, the “yellowsn0w” utility can only be used with the iPhone 3G’s modem firmware (baseband firmware) version 02.28 – which apparently doesn’t communicate correctly with iPhone OS 3.0.

The Team had previously warned jailbreakers and iPhone unlockers against updating to any iPhone OS 3.0 beta firmware – doing so would would flash the iPhone 3G with a newer baseband firmware version that kills yellowsn0w. That warning still stands. Although the iPhone 3.0 OS beta 2 can be jailbroken, upgrading to the new firmware will potentially kill the iPhone 3G unlock solution forever.

The QuickPWN 3.0 Beta 2 jailbreak solution weighs in at just 3.2MB. It’s sole purpose is to install a new RiPDev application, known as “Icy,” onto the iPhone OS 3.0. Once installed, “Icy” can be executed to do jailbreak the iPhone 3.0 OS and give iPhone developers access to jailbreak applications.

Unless you have an iPhone dev account, you’re going to want to stay away from the iPhone 3.0 OS, lest you want to turn your iPhone into an iBrick. That being said, download QuickPWN 3.0 Beta 2 here.

[Via: iPhoneDevTeam and QuickPWN]