iPhone hack wars continue

Two weeks after the update that disabled iPhones that had been unlocked or had third-party applications installed, hackers have struck back with a new method for unlocking the popular device.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog posted details of the iPhone Dev Team's latest effort, which once again opens the iPhone up to third-party applications and the ability to use it on any other GSM network than AT&T's.

The latest hack allows iPhone users who have already installed the OS X 1.1.1 update to revert their iPhones to the previous 1.0.2 update, "jailbreak" it for third-party applications, and then somehow update back to the 1.1.1 version without the cell door slamming shut. TUAW and iPhone Atlas have tested the latest hack and have declared that it works, assuming you have a certain amount of knowledge of the iPhone's command line interface.

The iPhone Dev Team post a disclaimer warning users of the risks behind their unlock: "The iPhone Dev Team disclaims any liability of damage to your iPhone as a result of following these instructions. While the instructions listed here are believed to be safe and accurate, there is always a possibility that your iPhone could be permanently damaged."

The iPhone Dev Team does not claim a fix for phones that have been previously rendered useless after the last update. However, the iPhoneSIMFree team announced Thursday morning that as a result of the iPhone Dev Team's work, they're now able to not only unlock 1.1.1 iPhones but they are also able to unbrick those unlocked iPhones that fell silent after installing the last update.

With Leopard's release around the corner, many are starting to wonder if Apple might start to tire of the fight and figure out a way to let third-party application development onto the iPhone. It's pretty clear that Apple will be unable to completely fend off an army of determined hackers forever, so it may be to their advantage to ultimately find a common solution that will keep the device secure while still allowing some third-party development.

In the meantime, if users really want third-party applications on their iPhone, they need to understand that they might be forfeiting their right to future technical support. Those who previously hacked the iPhone were able to restore the factory settings before bringing it in for service, but it's not clear whether that's still an option with this latest update.