UPDATE 2: Looks like a lot of us fell for “Alpha”‘s “leak”. Many websites were fed the same story, but MuscleNerd has said that there is no “Over-The-Air-Relocking” code in the baseband, but says little else. Is it possible that this really is true? I’m not sure either way.
Everyone who got tipped off of “Apple’s secret plans” also believes that this info is true, but if MuscleNerd (a respected member of the iPhone Dev Team) says theres nothing like that, then I am inclined to believe him. He also debunked their downgrading procedures and has said that you will recieve iTunes error 1015 if you do this as described.
However, remember the Apple killswitch last year? The one that was discovered by someone else entirely who was also tipped off? Well, that turned out to be absolutely true and you can disable Apple’s not-so-secret-anymore switch from SBSettings today.
The situation today and from last year was very similar, so that’s why I still theres a chance this may be (even one day) the case.
UPDATE: If this “leak” is untrue, I appologize for this. This seemed highly credible, we all make mistakes, and I do appologize, I thought this to be true, however, this doesnt mean that they may not do this at some point or have considered this. This just brings up the issue of privacy and Apple’s limits once more.
We will see if this is fake or not in 2 weeks time. There is a task on the iPhone that hasn’t been proven to do or not to do anything. It’s called “daily”. No one knows what it does.
I hope i was wrong, but just keep an eye out. If it is fake, all I can ask is that u forgive me. I wanted to spread the word as soon as I could because this seemed credible enough to post.
I think we all secretly think Apple is doing these things in the background with no knowledge.
If MuscleNerd is right, I deeply appologize. I’m stressed about this too. I breathed a sigh of relieve when MuscleNerd said this but the info provided was just so perfect and believeable.
However, this happens in our field. Rumors get started, ones that seem so true and sophisticated that they can make us believe that they are credible.
I hope I didn’t ruin my 3 years of work and soiled your beliefs in me and how accurate I and LEI Mobile is.
Again, I am very sorry for this. It was an honest mistake, but I had my reasons for believing it myself.
Well we have just received some information from inside Apple. An Apple engineer, which wishes to be named as “Alpha”, has disclosed some pretty disturbing secrets of the iPhone 4 and iOS 4. Now, the following information is very disturbing to me.
The following are some secrets that the iPhone 4 and iOS 4 hold:
1) iOS4 has code which sends updates to the user every 1-2 weeks and locks their system if they are not using AT&T as their carrier.
2) Apple can check users’ baseband and carrier information and also see whether or not they are jailbroken when they call Apple Care Support. Apple can also void users’ warranty once they find out if they have jailbroken iOS 4.
3) On iPhone 4, when you use FaceTime Apple can check what two phones are communicating with each other and also see what location these phones are communicating from.
4) Apple employees who are aware of the situation have downgraded to iOS 3.1.3 because they are afraid of what’s going on.
Here’s what he said:
As far as Base Bands go it does not matter what baseband you TRY to get on the iPhone cause in the iOS4 there is a line of code we wrote that stands for OAU also known as “Over Air Updates”. How it works is every 7 to 14 days We (Apple) and AT&T send a message to your iPhone that gathers some data from your iPhone without you knowing and we see what is running, baseband and firmware. We then send a following message. “There are optional updates for your iPhone, Would you like to install them now?” two options “Yes” or “Later”. Those are what we would call “OPTIONAL UPDATES” Now there are things called “MANDATORY UPDATES”. They tend to work the same way, grab data from the iPhones sends it to AT&T and us then back to your iPhone with the message, “Your iPhone (name of iphone) must be updated to the current AT&T standards to run”, your only option is to “Accept” Now you can try to work your way around it until you get the second mandatory message again “You must plug iPhone into iTunes and update” If you don’t do this you will then receive no Signal from the network anymore and your iPhone will potentially lock up with no signs of use until you update your iPhone via iTunes. You all agreed to this terms and condition when you installed iTunes 9.2 and then again once you updated to iOS4.
He goes on to say:
The reason why I am leaking some of this info is cause I don’t think its right that we are essentially controlling peoples iPhones.
Its their property once it leaves our retail stores and people need to know what they are getting into.
This is scary to me. I am on iOS 4. I am calling to the iPhone Dev Team to figure this out. This is insane. Just like they killed Apple’s killswitch, I’m sure they can figure this out as well.
Also, Alpha goes on to say why some iPhone 4s were sent to users early. This was in a chat with him:
He goes on to talk about downgrading and Apple employees not updating:
He also goes on to say the following on why he can’t disclose how to stop this:
if you plug in a flash drive to any MAC in our building within 30 seconds people will show up there and stop you. Also you will be terminated on the spot.
This is the most frightening thing I have had to write in my 3 years of being here at LEI Mobile and Limited Edition iPhone. I am freaking out. This is insane. Spread the word as fast as you can. We have 7-14 days to stop this.
Incoming search terms:
- iphone 4 secrets
zooyork says
This so sad this makes not want the 4
Alan Vazquez says
Not just the iPhone 4, it’s ANY iPhone on iOS 4, that’s why I’m scared half to hell.
Brandon says
WHAT THE FUCK APPLE!!!!!!!
ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE, pardon my french but WHAT THE HELL!!!
Alan Vazquez says
Dude, I’m freaking afraid. I’m on iOS 4 and unlocked, and jailbroken. So are you. Mike’s the only one who isn’t.
Angel says
Screw AT&T this sounds like an f’n neo Nazi regime. Apple is also screwing with our rights. If we buy the iPhone, it is our iPhone not AT&t’s or Apples it’s ours, and we can do whatever the FCUK we want to do with it, because we purchased it not lease it…….dammit this is the number one reason I hate controlling carriers
Alan Vazquez says
Exactly. Fuck Apple, and fuck AT&T. I agree, this is freaking insanity. Spread the word. We don’t have much time before our unlocked iPhones go useless. Someone needs to figure out how to fix this before it’s too late.
Alex says
That’s gay at least i get the backgrounds and multi tasking w/ o jailbreak … I’m using my iPhone 4 right now I’m so happy
Alan Vazquez says
Are you on AT&T not jailbroken and not unlocked?
LEI Mobile says
there is no way that they will get away with bricking peoples phones. what happens if they kill your phone’s service when you are out camping and then something happens and you have no phone to make a call with. I smell a class action lawsuit if then try to pull any crap.
Alan Vazquez says
I’m joining in ASAP when there is one. This is my iPhone 3G and no one else but me can decide what goes on it. That’s why I jailbreak and unlock. It’s bullshit if I buy a $300+ device and for me to not have control as to what is on it, I don’t think so. This is mine, and no one, especially not Apple, can do something like that.
This is a matter for the Supreme Court and Congress. This has gone far enough.
Angel says
Is there a downgrade for a never jail broken iPhone running this shitty ios 4. Fcuk, I own a MacBook an iPad and 2 iPhones. I’m really feeling a hate for apple right now.
Alan Vazquez says
Depends, do you have an iPhone 3G or iPod touch 2G? If not, then no.
zooyork says
What happends to the official unlocks not jailbroken are we ok on 4.hoe
seriously they think there God trying to controle people AT&T needs a rude awakening we bought iPhones not AT&T phones we just ae there fuckn service seriously it’s like you telling me what toothpaste to fuckn use you cock suckn fuck packs I can’t stand AT&T
What’s going to happen to us official unlocks
LEI Mobile says
official unlocks are fine, but if you jailbreak they will be able to detect that and can brick your phone.
Alan Vazquez says
Nope, didn’t you read? That’s why they held up the Canada launch. Officially unlocked phones are fucked too from the info I got and my interpretation. Mike, I know ur trying to debunk their abilities, but this is a brand new game. This is entirely different from anything they have done in the past.
Angel says
No I bought from my buddy and he never jail broken it he was with AT&T but sick of their BS. Right now its locked and needs to be activated. It running that freaking ios 4 it also has the old boot rom. Man this sux guys
Alan Vazquez says
I know. I’m on an iPhone 3G, unlocked T-Mobile USA and jailbroken. I am scared right now. I love multi-tasking but at what cost can we allow Apple to give us nice features if in the background they are in our iPhones and watching everything we do. This isn’t right, I’m also pretty sure that this is anti-constitutional.
Somerandom says
iPod and iPad although there is something far wrong with apple being able to do this
Alan Vazquez says
This is a new game. This is like nothing they have ever tried before.
Angel says
32gb 3GS
Alan Vazquez says
That’s not good man. I feel sorry for everyone who unknowingly fell for Apple’s trap who bought an iPhone 4.
Everyone has to do their part and spread the word, it we do this, this will reach the mass media and we can give this issue national (if not global) attention and make Apple pay for what they are about to do.
Angel says
So if I’m talking on the phone through face time with my other half naked…..apple and AT&T can spy on my naked ass…..that is unconstitutional!!!!! We stop this
Alan Vazquez says
They have the potential to do so, yes. It’s not encrypted. They will also know where you are. They are stealing location data as well
zooyork says
So will they brick my iphone if I’m offiial and non jailbroken shit we update from AT&T but use Tmo service so how can AT&T send a signal to a Tmo serviced phone only way they do this is if we plug into iTunes and apple won’t do that it’s there choice to sell Locke or officialy unlocked phones
Alan Vazquez says
They do it over the air. Doesn’t matter. It’s through iOS 4, not AT&T necessarily. As you can see from the screenshot, he is on Rogers, yet he gets this (they were testing the system)
Angel says
If I purchase an official factory unlocked iPhone they can’t get away with locking it.
Alan Vazquez says
not according to the info I got. Not if ur in the US, looks like they are taking extra steps to make sure no one that has an iPhone in the US isn’t on AT&T.
Angel says
The developers have got to put their minds together to pull this one off…..good luck dev team
Alan Vazquez says
I’m sure they can pull it off, they just have to find it, but he gave some very major clues as to where it might be if you read carefully.
Angel says
Hey can you guys get “alpha” to tell us how to downgrade from ios since they are already doing it out of fear
Alan Vazquez says
I was not the one personally talking with “Alpha”, someone else was and I recieved the information. I just published it on here, but I didn’t speak to him personally.
Alan Vazquez says
However, this leak is extremely credible. I can basically guarantee that this is 100% true. I have my reasons for believing this.
zooyork says
I mean we update from apple so how can AT&T send a signal to brick a tmo service phone
Alan Vazquez says
They aren’t the ones who do. Apple does. They just check with AT&T’s servers and cross reference ur info, if ur UDID isn’t in their system, say bye bye. Also, your warrenty will be void. AT&T only shares your personal information with Apple to make sure that they only attack the right phones. Also, AT&T sharing information is extremely illegal.
LEI Mobile says
They will not affect legally unlocked iPhones. These phones are sold directly by Apple with the intention of using them on any GSM network. The only way Apple will affect them is if they are jailbroken, they will void the warranty.
angel says
I’m feeling more at ease now, thx
Matt says
Not to poke the hornets nest here…….but if you bought a subsidized phone then technically it’s not fully paid for until your contract is up. If you bought it off contract or out right then this would be unconstitutional.
AT&T will argue that they are just protecting their investment.
In Canada it’s is illegal to do this. Hence the unlocked phones. They are are about to pass a law here preventing locking phones to carriers. In Canada it is considered your phone no matter what. All the carrier can do is cancel your contract.
We really need to start reading the fine print. I found it and we did agree to it. That makes it legally binding.
STILL BS THOUGH!! TOTAL BULLSHIT!!
LEI Mobile says
direct from MuscleNerd’s twitter: Common sense (and simple code inspection) shows that “leak” by “Alpha” about iPhone4 OTA re-locking to be silly FUD.
zooyork says
As I said before I don’t know to believe this or not how can AT&T send my phone a signal they don’t have my phone number or my info and if I upgrade from apple they are not going to sell AT&T my info
LEI Mobile says
ATT will not do anything to factory unlocked phones. Apple will however brick your phone if they find out its jailbroken.
SirElric says
Android phones provide location data already
Alan Vazquez says
Mike and Everyone: If this is untrue, I appologize for this. This seemed highly credible, we all make mistakes, and I do appologize, I thought this to be true, however, this doesnt mean that they may not do this at some point or have considered this. This just brings up the issue of privacy and Apple’s limits once more.
We will see if this is fake or not in 2 weeks time. There is a task on the iPhone that hasn’t been proven to do or not to do anything. It’s called “daily”. No one knows what it does.
I hope i was wrong, but just keep an eye out. If it is fake, all I can ask is that u forgive me. I wanted to spread the word as soon as I could because this seemed credible enough to post.
I think we all secretly think Apple is doing these things in the background with no knowledge.
If MuscleNerd is right, I deeply appologize. I’m stressed about this too. I breathed a sigh of relieve when MuscleNerd said this but the info provided was just so perfect and believeable.
However, this happens in our field. Rumors get started, ones that seem so true and sophisticated that they can make us believe that they are credible.
I hope I didn’t ruin my 3 years of work and soiled your beliefs in me and how accurate I and LEI Mobile is.
Again, I am very sorry for this. It was an honest mistake, but I had my reasons for believing it myself.
Angel says
That’s cool bro. I still love you……. Hahahahahaha I agree I hope that this does not come to fruition
Alan Vazquez says
Josh: I own an iPhone, Mac, iPad, and I am in a company alll about Apple. So no, Fuck you.
Alan Vazquez says
Angel: Thank you. You are unlike some other assholes that have said shit about us. This was my mistak, I take full responsibility, but this is not the site’s fault. We don’t “copy/paste” from other websites. That’s a load of shit. If we did, we’d be sued.
I’m not denying we all have stories in common becauae nowadays, everyone gets tips at the same time. That’s the magic of communication.
We’ve come out with stuff wayy before any of those more mainstream sites, so before people say shit about us, check your facts and check them well.
So thank you for not being on of those assholes Angel. 🙂
Latarsha Desan says
hi, good day. i was just reading about this on our local website