Recently there has been a pretty big buzz about an upcoming release dubbed SemiRestore. We posted about it a few days ago. It's not out yet, you can check its progress here, but I wanted to use this post to prove to you that it does indeed work as described.
SemiRestore claims to be able to let you restore your device without necessitating the need to upgrade your iOS device's firmware. This is extremely appealing for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason of them all is that it would allow you to restore your device without losing your precious jailbreak.
As you know, Apple stopped signing iOS 6.1.2 after iOS 6.1.3 was released. iOS 6.1.2 was the last firmware susceptible to the evasi0n jailbreak, so it's a precious firmware in the eyes of those who like to tinker with their phones. From Apple's standpoint, it's obvious why they opted to fix the exploits used to make evasi0n function. Apple owes it to its users to ensure that iOS is the most secure platform that it can be. Nonetheless, that doesn't make the jailbreak community any less disappointed at the loss of an untethered jailbreak
To make matters even more grim, Apple has rendered downgrading virtually impossible, and that includes simply restoring your iOS 6.1.2 firmware back to iOS 6.1.2. So what if your iPhone or iPad starts running really slow? What if you genuinely needed to restore your device? If so, then kiss your jailbreak goodbye. That pretty much sums up the predicament that we find ourselves in. For that reason we're always extra careful not to install any tweaks or apps on our devices that might cause problems.
And that, folks, is where SemiRestore has come in to save the day. I was a bit skeptical at first, but I've tested it out myself, and I can assure you that it works pretty well. It's not a genuine full restore — hence its name — but it's probably the next best thing to a legitimate restore, and will help you regain the stock feeling of a fresh installation of iOS. The best thing about it? You won't need to upgrade your firmware, and because of this, you won't lose your jailbreak. Full demonstration inside.
