We’ve released a beta version of redsn0w for the iPhone3G and iPod Touch 2G at FW 4.1 or 4.0.  It uses the same pwnage2 DFU-mode exploit that we’ve been using since the 2.x days.  It does not include the SHAtter exploit developed by pod2g.  Nothing new is revealed to Apple with this jailbreak.

IF YOU USE THE ULTRASN0W UNLOCK, PLEASE WAIT FOR PWNAGETOOL TO SUPPORT 4.1.  DO NOT USE REDSN0W.  That’s because to use redsn0w at 4.1, you need to already have updated to official 4.1 from Apple.  If you do that, you lose the ultrasn0w unlock (possibly forever).

The Windows version needs further testing, so for now this is available only for Mac OS X x86.  The Windows version will come as soon as the bugs are ironed out.

Note: if you have an “MC” model of the ipt2g, your 4.1 jailbreak will be tethered…sorry!  (Consider rolling back to a FW supported by jailbreakme.com or spiritjb.com)

===== What devices, platforms, and FW versions are supported? =====

This BETA release supports:

• iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2G only (for now)
• Mac OS X x86 and Windows only (for now)
• 4.1 or 4.0 firmware from Apple

===== How do I use it? =====

If you’ve already updated your device to 4.1 or 4.0, the next steps are:

1. Launch the beta redsn0w 0.9.6b1
2. Select your stock 4.1 or 4.0 ipsw (you’ve already used this to update your device to 4.1 or  4.0)
3. Select “Install Cydia” and any of the other options shown above, then click “Next”.  Use DFU mode to install the jailbreak.

Note: If you choose to “Enable battery percentage”, you actually toggle that off and on via Settings->General->Usage.

===== Download links =====

Please do not directly link to these URLs because they’ll be changing according to bandwidth demands.

• OS X  (See our latest redsn0w post)
• Windows (See our latest redsn0w post)

Update: Any Windows users seeing “Waiting for reboot” for too long (more than 20 seconds or so), please try “shaking” the JB process by unplugging then replugging your USB cable (while letting redsn0w continue to run).  Also, try using a USB port “closer” to your computer (as opposed to on your monitor or behind another hub).  We’re still tweaking the Windows flow and so any feedback you can provide will help!

Today you’ll likely start seeing iTunes innocently offer you a new version of iOS…version 4.1.  Don’t accept it…it’s a trap!

This time of year there are lots of new iPhone owners, and not everybody knows that accepting new iOS updates is the surest way to lose your jailbreak and/or unlock.  While those of you who have Cydia or TinyUmbrella backups of your FW hashes will always be able to get back to 4.0.1 if you make this mistake, this doesn’t hold for unlockers. There’s currently no known way to revert your baseband — if you update your baseband you’ll lose the ultrasn0w unlock, possible forever.

Please stay away from this 4.1 release until a safe jailbreak procedure (which also preserves ultrasn0w) is developed and released.

P.S.  There are a tiny number of iPhone3G owners who can revert their basebands due to a flaw in very early bootloaders…you will already know if you fit in this category!

Jailbreakme v2.0 was a great success, and it’s provided a nice leveling point for all jailbreakers and unlockers on all devices at firmware versions less than 4.0.2/3.2.2.  We hope that everybody ever interested in jailbreaks or unlocks was able to join in on the jailbreakme bonanza.  Those of you who had Cydia capture your SHSH blobs, or those of you who captured them locally, will always be able to benefit from the jailbreakme.com v2.0 release. Congratulations!

Now it’s a few weeks later, and Apple has closed the jailbreakme.com hole.  They’re shipping devices with FW 4.0.2/3.2.2, impervious to this particular jailbreak.  So now, people will begin to ask: will there be a jailbreak for devices that shipped with 4.0.2/3.2.2, out of the box?

No, there won’t be.  FW 4.0.2/3.2.2 was *only* released to fix the jailbreakme hole.  With FW 4.1 still in its beta stages, it makes no sense to escalate the “cat & mouse” with Apple for FW updates that only fix the jailbreak holes. To quote WOPR, “the only winning move is not to play”.

If the cat & mouse game escalates too quickly, especially during beta FW periods, nobody but Apple benefits.  For this reason, there won’t be a 4.0.2/3.2.2 jailbreak specifically during the period where 4.0.2/3.2.2 is the latest public release.  At best, some future 4.1x FW jailbreak *may* be compatible with 4.0.2/3.2.2 (but don’t count on that).

If any of this is confusing, please ask below in our comments section!

P.S.: For those of you with iPhone3G or iPod Touch 2G(not MC version), it’s true you can always use redsn0w to jailbreak your 4.x devices.   Don’t let that dilute the above message, though :)