Dealers fret over free iPhone crack

The unlocking community has been dealt a blow after a crack for the Apple iPhone 3G has been made available as a free download to the public.

An unlocking solution, called ‘Purple Rain’, requires iPhone  3G S users to upgrade to iTunes software version 3.0 and download the latest firmware to their handset.

Some unlockers are fearful the free unlocking solution could see them lose out on significant revenue.

Ace Fones’ assistant manager Dan Shortall said: “This is crushing news. We have a solution that costs £20 a time and can free the phone up in about half an hour. But when people realise a free solution is available to them, I’m sure they will be tempted to have a go themselves. I can only warn customers that it is very easy to kill iPhones by not unlocking them properly.”

A similar crack, called ‘Red Snow’, was available for the iPhone 3G, and the team behind it is thought to have authored the new solution too.