Software

PSA: Tw3lve jailbreak for iOS 12 now open source, but we still don’t recommend using it

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 7, 2019

Given just how easy it is to lose your jailbreak eligibility these days amid Apple’s rapid software updates, it goes without saying that jailbreakers should be cautious regarding the software they run on their handset(s).

A shady jailbreak tool for iOS 12.0-12.1.2 called Tw3lve ominously materialized from thin air on /r/jailbreak over the weekend, and the post was quickly removed by board moderation after it was discovered to be a blatant copy of Pwn20wnd’s open-source unc0ver jailbreak tool with a custom GUI behaving as smoke and mirrors to the general public.

Unc0ver v3.0.0 beta 49 released to fix all known bugs with the iOS 11.0-12.1.2 jailbreak to date

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 6, 2019

Hacker and unc0ver lead developer Pwn20wnd dropped a significant update for his jailbreak tool on Saturday with an extensive list of changes that purportedly “fixes all known stability issues” on jailbroken installations of iOS 11.0-12.1.2.

Pwn20wnd announced the updated version of the jailbreak tool, dubbed unc0ver v3.0.0 beta 49, via Twitter earlier in the day:

Apple stops signing iOS 12.1.4, thwarting downgrades from recently-released iOS 12.2

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 4, 2019

Apple on Thursday stopped signing iOS 12.1.4 for its mobile devices, a move on the Cupertino-based company’s part that prevents users from using iTunes to downgrade their firmware to any version below iOS 12.2.

Apple just released iOS 12.2 to the public last Monday, and so the decision to stop signing iOS 12.1.4 today is somewhat abrupt, even to Apple’s standards. The last time Apple stopped signing an older version of iOS, the window remained open for several weeks before Apple flipped their magical anti-downgrade switch.

watchOS 5.2 brings ECG app to more regions, adds support for AirPods 2

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 27, 2019

Apple on Wednesday released watchOS 5.2 to the public as expected, an update for the Apple Watch that adds support for Apple’s brand-new second-generation AirPods, among other things.

The update also brings the ECG app and irregular rhythm notification to Hong Kong and 19 European countries. It also offers support for the AirPods 2nd generation and real-time text (RTT) for phone calls.

Essentials: An all-in-one SpringBoard customization tweak for iOS 11 and 12

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 26, 2019

If you’re jailbroken on iOS 11 or iOS 12 and looking for the ultimate one-stop-shop jailbreak tweak to customize the bulk of your operating system’s primary aesthetic and function, then you’re sure to take a particular liking to a new jailbreak tweak release called Essentials by iOS developer Adam Seiter.

Essentials provides a long list of options for iPhone and iPad users, much like the original classic that we’ve all come to know and love called Springtomize. On the other hand, Essentials supports the latest jailbreakable versions of iOS, whereas Springtomize hasn’t been officially updated since the golden days of the iOS 10 jailbreak.

AirPods 2 will work on pre-iOS 12.2 firmware, albeit with ‘limited’ functionality

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 26, 2019

When Apple’s second-generation AirPods became available to order from the Cupertino company’s website, asterisks discovered at the bottom of the web page denoted that the Bluetooth headphones would necessitate macOS 14.10.4, iOS 12.2, and watchOS 5.2 to be used. But is that really the case? Perhaps not…

Citing a post shared on /r/jailbreak by Reddit user TomLube just this week, Apple’s second-generation AirPods will work just fine on pre-iOS 12.2 firmware, albeit with semi-handicapped functionality.

Apple Arcade is a new subscription service with access to 100+ new and exclusive games

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 25, 2019

The App Store is the world’s largest digital content store today, but one of its most popular niches is mobile gaming. To date, more than 1 billion people have downloaded games from the App Store, which is comprised of at least 300,000 available titles.

The original AirPods vs. AirPods 2 – what’s different?

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated March 25, 2019

Apple’s new second-generation AirPods can now be ordered from the company’s website, and many are wondering if they’re a worthwhile upgrade from the originals.

If you’re in the same boat, then you’ve come to the right place, because this piece will discuss the most significant differences between the original and second-generation AirPods.

Second-generation AirPods hint imminent release of macOS Mojave 10.14.4, iOS 12.2, & watchOS 5.2

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated March 26, 2019

In case you missed it, Apple released its highly-anticipated second-generation AirPods on Wednesday with some notable under-the-hood improvements including the brand-new H1 chip and a Qi wireless charging-compatible case.

But as you might come to expect from Apple, the release of new hardware often requires newer software with support built-in, and the Cupertino-based company’s second-generation AirPods are no exception to this general rule of thumb.

iPad Features XII ports some of the iPad’s best UI differences to the iPhone

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 19, 2019

iOS powers both Apple’s iPhone and iPad platforms; however, each handset exhibits unique software-centric features that have been tailored to the devices’ particular hardware specifications.

Anyone that has used both devices knows exactly what we mean – subtle differences in interfaces such as the App Switcher, Camera app, Dock, and Status Bar are evident right off the bat. But with a new free jailbreak tweak called iPad Features XII by iOS developer Adel Hammoud, you can port many of those differences over to your iPhone.

Apple stops signing iOS 12.1.3, preventing downgrades from iOS 12.1.4

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 18, 2019

Apple appears to have stopped signing iOS 12.1.3 on Monday, a move on the Cupertino-based company’s part that prevents iOS device users from downgrading their device’s installed firmware from iOS 12.1.4 via iTunes.

This move doesn’t impact the jailbreak community very much because the latest jailbreakable firmware at the time of this writing is iOS 12.1.2, which Apple stopped signing more than a month ago. That said, the jailbreak community isn’t particularly rushing to downgrade to iOS 12.1.3 these days.

After more than a decade, iPhoneOS 1 package manager ‘Installer 3’ has been open-sourced

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 18, 2019

Jay Freeman’s Cydia package manager has long enjoyed being the default platform for installing jailbreak apps and tweaks on jailbroken handsets, but even this renowned piece of software has a predecessor.

Veteran jailbreakers who’ve been pwning their handsets since the iPhoneOS 1 days will do good to remember the original package manager for jailbroken devices – Installer 3 by Ripdev & Nullriver Software – and after more than a decade, the project is now being open-sourced.