iPhone iOS 4.1 “Jailbreak Watermark” ?
As soon as iOS 4.1 got released, many people out there tested it on their different iDevices & we heard some good and some bad news about the new firmware release. You can check out the complete update posted here.
But what’s worst are the rumors about the so called “Jailbreak Watermark”.
Besides a reworked signal meter, tweaked game center, and various bug fixes, it looks like Apple went ahead and added one nasty little surprise — a jailbreak watermark. Basically it just checks the phone to see if it is jailbroken. If it is, it leaves a digital watermark that is retained even after a complete “wipe” and re-install of the firmware. Further disturbing is that the watermark is easily discoverable by Apple service reps when performing iPhone repair work. If a watermark is present, there goes any hopes of help from Apple — even for a charge.
@alchemistmuffin has reported that iOS 4.1 beta 1 “new type of encryption” which allows Apple to check if a device has been jailbroken. He explains :
Also, iOS 4.1 has new encryption technology, that will constantly check if iPhone or iPod touch, have been jailbroken. This is done by digital watermark that appears when iOS is jailbroken, and this watermark cannot be removed, even if reverted to unjailbroken status. Apple store employees will check for the watermark during iPhone service.
We hope the “Jailbreak Watermark” isn’t so tough to spoof or get around . Looks like Apple just lobbied the ball back into the jailbreaker’s court. Let’s see what the Dev-Team has to say about this. Keep your fingers crossed and wait if they can find a way to get rid of this. Let us know if you have been testing iOS 4.1 and you’ve noticed something we missed. You can tweet me HERE.
Update : iH8sn0w, the guy behind popular jailbreak tools like sn0wbreeze, has confirmed that he hasn’t seen anything like a watermark in the new beta release, we’re still waiting to hear more on this. Stay tuned.
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I heard this from another site and I think it’s false cuz they were talking about this being about 4.0
Musclenerd has stated that this is false as well. But after this article was written
Would this have any affect on any iPod touch generations?
Surely this can’t be true because you only have to reformat/erase the flash disk inside?
To right frebib, if the whole device is wiped or formatted unless it stores it in some type of nvram it should easy enough to wipe. All this being said though it may not be true.
I really don’t understand how all of this is legal?? I understand they have an end user agreement if you’re using it as a phone, but if I pay 600 for a device I can use it however I want. Can someone please explain?
Thom: If you buy a product and use it in a way that the manufacturer has adviced the warranty is void. For example buy a Car, rebuld the car so it can drive underwater. And if your engine after that will fail i doubt you will get the engines serviced under the warranty.
So its not too hard too see that Apple voids the warranty if jailbroken. Its mor hard to see that some people cant understand that.
With that said, I Jailbreak, everything i have
AppleTV, iPhones, i ran custom roms on my HTC and so on. BUT i never cry if i dont get anything back on the warranty if it does break.
Just some thoughts
The jailbreak will be released shortly: http://www.iphone-hacks.com/2010/09/10/iphone-4-1-jailbreak-only-a-matter-of-time/
I’m not sure about the permanent watermark thing but I’m running 4.0.1 jail broken and after installing ANZGoMoney, from the App Store, it has given me a notice saying that because my device was jail broken they could not guarantee the safety of my details being left in the device. So obviously they are able to tell. Wether this is from the so-called watermark or not I don’t know (I’m just a lowly end user) but with the new legislation regarding jailbreaks being legalized I feel Apple will start to fight jail breakers now a lot more than in previous years.
ok. so my question is if i have previously jailbroken my ipod will they bethis watermark thing is true or is it just for like a future reference thing? i broke the headphone jack and need for it to get fixed soon by apple because i dont know many places i can trust other than them so any help with that would also be appreciated.
*will they be able to tell with this watermark thing* opps typo
The new iOS jailbreak has been announced: http://www.iphone-hacks.com/2010/09/13/ios-4-1-jailbreak-labeled-shatter/
hi,
i tried it my self any its ture that it leaves a watermark, even if you eras the iphone,you can jailbeark it but you cann’t unlock it.hopefully dev team would do something about it. i cann’t wait to have my iphone unlocked again.
I was reading this post and I think that this migth be possible on new iDevice 4 but not on older devices because it requires a “partition” or another memory chip and there aren’t any on older models. Correct me if I was wrong.
What about the Warranty Act that prohibits manufacturers from voiding warranties when an aftermarket add-on is used unless it can be proven that the add-on actually caused the damage in the warranty complaint?
Example: adding an aftermarket muffler or getting your oil changed by someone other than the dealer DOES NOT void the warranty on your vehicle.
Maybe still “wet behind the ears” with this info and have only been jailbreaking for about 1.5 yrs, but what exactly does Apple warranty?! You drop in h2o or crack it on the ground, they don’t cover any of that…Apple will cover what they want and no sense in fighting them cuz the “cat and mouse” game will go on and on in a public press forum. Behind the scenes, the “Robin Hoods” of the jailbreaking communities will continue to release the info that can allow everyone to get some of the full capabilities of these devices. For anyone on the fence on whether or not to jailbreak, ask a simple question for a basic jailbreak capability… what is wrong with having my name on the top of my screen or having it say “My iPhone” or anything like that and what harm will that do to Apple? They created it to do it, but they don’t want YOU to know how to do! They won’t even sell it to you… why???? Sorry for the ramble!
Many Jailbreaks have now been released. (for iO.S 4.1)
Including; Green poison and RedsnOw. So far all of those users have experienced nothing to do with a watermark. I assume it was Apples or someone eltses way of trying to scar people from Jailbreaking.
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As for all this being legal,
It is, if you bought the product, it is yours, adding or removing it’s software.
However, if you edit or use Apples software and call it your own, then that is not as legal.
My point of view?
Why doesn’t Apple try and fix these things and allow more software and modifications, rather than releasing software to prevent it. It seams pointless. Nintendo does this as well. (damn 1.4.1 anti flash card update).
Hey, I made a little video tutorial for jailbreaking & unlocking iOS 4.1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlbgLzxGXRQ
Tell me if it helps.
Iphone 4eva!!!
Haha this guy says he discovered some Runescape hacks… do you think he’s kidding? Is that possible since Runescape is a server side MMORPG?
I love your writing style genuinely loving this site.
NICE WRITTING
Download the directv app for confirmation. It’s free and won’t run on jail broken devices. That tells me that there is currently a way to check (in app) if a device is jailbroken. I’m running 5.0.1