iOS

ModernSettings adds informative widgets to iOS’ Settings app

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 11, 2020

It was only last month that we showed you a useful free jailbreak tweak called SettingsWidgets that added a number of useful widgets to the top of your Settings app in iOS 13. We fell in love with the concept from the moment we laid eyes on it, but some users demanded more pep in terms of widget capabilities, and a newly released jailbreak tweak called ModernSettings by iOS developer iOSthemem0d (Dylan West) seems to fulfill that demand.

As shown in the screenshot examples above, ModernSettings looks and works a lot like SettingsWidgets did, except that it offers a lot more to the end user in terms of widgets and user configuration.

Apple pulls plug on iOS 13.5.5 beta 1 following release of unc0ver v5.2.0

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 11, 2020

Apple unsigned iOS & iPadOS 13.5 on Monday in a move intended to prevent downgrades to a publicly available jailbreakable firmware version. Hacker and unc0ver lead developer Pwn20wnd quickly responded to the act this week by releasing unc0ver v5.2.0 with support for iOS & iPadOS 13.5.5 beta 1, providing jailbreak hopefuls with a second chance to upgrade to jailbreakable firmware.

But as it would seem, this was a short-lived hoorah. Apple appears to have stopped signing iOS & iPadOS 13.5.5 beta 1 as of last night, effectively and once again preventing iPhone and iPad users from installing a jailbreakable firmware for the second time in the same week.

Iris unlocks powerful new features in Apple’s Messages app

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 10, 2020

Apple meticulously designed its Messages app to be one of the most straightforward standard text messaging platforms on any modern handset, and the company’s built-in iMessage service only augments your messaging capabilities, as long as your recipient is an iOS or macOS user too.

But despite the bevy of creature comforts that Apple implemented into Messages to make iMessage as great as it is today, there’s no question that a number of high-demand features are still missing, and iOS developer JacobCXDev has done a wonderful job of bringing those to the Messages app without Apple’s seal of approval in the form of a newly released jailbreak tweak called Iris.

Haptify adds more forms of haptic feedback to iOS

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 10, 2020

Haptic feedback is something that many smartphone owners like to have, but for whatever reason, is only sparingly used by the native operating system for niche and specific actions. Personally, I enjoy haptic feedback in moderation, and I think that Apple has been rather skimpy on its implantation out of the box.

If you’re anything like me and wish haptic feedback occurred more frequently while performing other common actions on your iPhone, then you might come to appreciate a newly released jailbreak tweak called Haptify by iOS developer Caleb G(kWaB), as it incorporates haptic feedback into several more of iOS’ native interfaces and performable actions.

iOS 13.6 adds new ‘Symptoms’ section in the Health app

Evan Selleck ∙ June 9, 2020

Along with adding a new toggle to manage automatic downloads and installation of new iOS software, the latest iOS 13.6 beta has revealed a new addition for the stock Health app.

Kai adds persistent battery indicators to the Lock screen for connected devices

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated November 8, 2021

Just last week, we showed you a free jailbreak tweak dubbed WatchBuddy that would persistently display your Apple Watch’s battery level on your iPhone’s Lock screen. Albeit simple and effective, some users demanded more, and so a new release called Kai by iOS developer Burrit0z was conceived.

As shown in the screenshot examples above, Kai expands upon the WatchBuddy concept by persistently displaying your connected devices’ battery levels on the Lock screen. You’ll also notice that the indicators include, but aren’t limited to the iPhone itself, connected Apple Watches, and connected AirPods where applicable. Furthermore, the indicators are customizable whether you prefer smaller subtle solutions, or bigger and bolder ones.

AltStore launches AltDaemon beta, allowing on-device app signing without a computer

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 8, 2020

If you’ve used the unc0ver jailbreak to liberate your iPhone or iPad recently, then you’re likely familiar with the AltStore platform, which quickly superseded Cydia Impactor and popular signing services to become the recommended means of side-loading the unc0ver jailbreak due to its long-term dependability and ease of use.

One major caveat to AltStore, however, is that using it would necessitate connecting to a computer to sign the unc0ver app – you’d need to do this the first time you installed unc0ver and every seven days after rebooting your device afterward. But that may not be the case for long…

Apple blocks downgrades to jailbreakable firmware by unsigning iOS & iPadOS 13.5

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 8, 2020

Apple this evening stopped signing iOS & iPadOS 13.5, a move on the Cupertino-based company’s behalf that essentially prevents iPhone and iPad users from installing this particular version of its firmware whether downgrading from a newer version of the mobile operating system or upgrading from an earlier version.

The move comes approximately one week after Apple released iOS & iPadOS 13.5.1 to the general public specifically with the intention of patching the 0-day kernel vulnerability that Pwn20wnd implemented into the unc0ver jailbreak to add support for iOS & iPadOS 13.5, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system at the time.

Jailbreak tweaks of the week: AlwaysOnHeadphones, Ares, and more…

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated July 10, 2020

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for the jailbreak community thanks to a slew of jailbreak tool updates from both the checkra1n and unc0ver teams adding support for iOS & iPadOS 13.5. Thankfully, we’re here to help keep you apprised of the best of the latest jailbreak tweak releases.

In this roundup, we’ll show you all the best jailbreak tweaks released from Monday, June 1st, to Sunday, June 7th. As usual, we’ll start things off by showcasing our favorite releases and then wrap things up with an outline of everything else afterward.

App Firewall open beta lets jailbreakers seize control of their apps’ connections

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 7, 2020

Veteran jailbreakers may remember a time in the distant past when you could install literal software firewalls in the form of jailbreak tweaks. Fast-forward to today when these tweaks a lot less common, and innumerable privacy concerns relating to camera snooping, location tracking, microphone eavesdropping, and the likes have sparked new interest in blocking outbound data communications on our handsets.

If you’re in the market for an increased say in the data that leaks out of your handset to the world wide web, then you’ll probably want to know about a newly released and free jailbreak tweak called App Firewall (iOS 10-13) by iOS developer Brayden Traas, as it can purportedly help you take control of your apps’ network access.

Add a splash of color to the Home Screen’s contextual menus with Color3DIcons

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 6, 2020

Whether you’re new to or experienced with jailbreaking, one thing that remains true about most users of pwned iPhones is that they love personalizing the native user interface in ways that makes it stand out from a crowd of vanilla handset users.

If you’re moderate when it comes to personalization and you like adding custom colors to existing interfaces as opposed to replacing them with something different outright, then you just might appreciate a newly released and free jailbreak tweak called Color3DIcons by iOS developer CydiaGeek.

Take notification suppression a step further than Do Not Disturb with NotiBlock

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 6, 2020

I’ll be the first to admit that I think push notifications are both a gift and a curse. It can be convenient to have real-time notifications when someone’s trying to get in touch with you, but it can also be annoying having a device that integrates your personal entertainment with seemingly endless streams of notifications that hijack your focus away from what matters most to you.

If you can relate, then we think you’re going to love a newly released and free jailbreak tweak called NotiBlock by iOS developer ShemeshApps.