To jailbreak iPhone 3G would mean to unlock the operating system of the iPhone and have root access. Wonderful gadgets as they are, iPhones have a drawback. Though the market is filled with different programs and software, iPhones can only run applications approved by Apple. Installing additional apps on your iPhone would require you to jailbreak it. Once jailbroken, you can install various third party apps, software, themes and extensions which you would not have been able to access through iTunes or Apple’s App store.
The internet is filled with free iPhone 3G jailbreak software. Most of these sites also include detailed instructions and step-by-step guides as to how to jailbreak iPhone 3G. In order to begin the process of jailbreaking, some preparatory steps are necessary.
- Save a backup of your iPhone’s present setting
- Upgrade your iPhone 3G to iPhone firmware 2.2
- Ensure your iTunes is upgraded to the iTunes 8.0.2 version
While there are several iPhone 3G jailbreak applications, the most popular is the QuickPwn tool. In order to jailbreak iPhone 3G by using QuickPwn, you have to first download the software. Connect your iPhone 3G to your computer and launch the QuickPwn tool to start the jailbreak process. The software would detect your iPhone’s firmware setting and once verified that you have the correct version installed, it would direct you to continue the process. Next you would be asked to install the Installer and Cydia applications.
Once done, your phone would be put in a recovery mode by the QuickPwn tool. In this mode you would be asked to hold down the home button for 5 seconds, followed by the home as well as the power buttons for 10 seconds. Then you need to release only the power button and continue to hold the home button till your phone switches over to DFU mode.
Once in this mode, the QuickPwn tool would start to jailbreak iPhone 3G. You would receive a notification once the jailbreak is complete. Your rebooted iPhone 3G would then show all the installed Cydia and Installer apps on your phone’s home screen.
Another iPhone 3G jailbreak application JailbreakMe has a simpler installation process and is even compatible with iOS 4.0.1 in iPhone 4. The site of the software has a detailed tutorial which tells you how to jailbreak iPhone 3G. As a preparatory measure, this application first requires you to download iTunes and create back-ups of your phone’s data. Next you have to visit the JailbreakMe application site and slide to jailbreak in order to begin the jailbreaking process. Once the JailbreakMe software gets downloaded to your phone, the jailbreak process would start automatically. Cydia would be installed on your iPhone 3G on the completion of the process and you can start downloading as many apps as you want.
While there are several sites which tell you how to jailbreak iPhone 3G, most sites do not warn you about the dangers associated with this process. Firstly, once you jailbreak iPhone 3G, it would not be eligible for any support from Apple. But this process is reversible and a jailbroken phone can be easily restored back to its factory settings. Moreover, often jailbroken phones are also prone to virus attacks. There also have been issues of jailbroken phones not working properly because of faulty software.