There’s a very interesting post at the iPhone Dev Team blog today, concerning iTunes 8 blocking the current Pwnage process. It appears that Apple is taking steps to prevent owners jailbreaking their devices by blocking the use of modified IPSW files. The Dev Team already have a patch available to allow iTunes 8 on a Mac to jailbreak an iPod Touch, and all the other combinations are expected in the next week. Once again, thanks to the iPhone Dev Team for their continued work in freeing our devices.
Engadget have covered this news today and are asking how relevant jailbreaking is now, with the wider availability of the 3G iPhone and useful software in the App Store. I guess the real question here is do we want an appliance or a pocket computer? I never had a problem with previous iPod’s being a locked system where you bought the device and it did what the box said. The iPod Touch and iPhone are different beasts (since they run Mac OS), and I want to be able to access the file system. There is so much potential in these devices that it seems a shame to lock them down and restrict their use to what Apple decides and approves. I want to theme my iPod. I want to browse the filesystem and see how it works. I want the option of using any app I choose. And most important, I want textReader for my eBook fix.
And while I’m mentioning Engadget, wasn’t that Apple special event coverage on Tuesday just a bit too sarcastic?
