When Apple released iOS 5.1 in March, it took almost no time at all for hackers to figure out how to jailbreak older iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad models running the new operating system.
But at the time there was no support newer devices with Apple A5 processors — and the jailbreak was tethered, which means you have to connect your device to a computer and run the software again every time you reboot your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
Now one of the top iOS hackers has revealed that he’s performed an untethered jailbreak on an iPhone 4 running iOS 5.1.
Pod2g is one of the most prominent folks digging up security exploits that make it possible to jailbreak iOS devices and run software that’s not officially supported by Apple.
But the hackers play a cat and mouse game with Apple. Every time they discover a new exploit and release jailbreak tools based on it, the clock starts ticking until the day when Apple releases a software update that removes that exploit.
So it’s not entirely clear whether pod2g will release the tools he used to jailbreak his iPhone to the public yet. He ran a poll on his blog recently asking whether he should hold onto some security exploits until iOS 6 was released or if he should release the jailbreak as soon as possible.
Nearly two thirds of those who voted asked him to release ASAP — and while pod2g hasn’t announced his decision yet, it certainly looks like he’s leaning toward an early release.
Update: It looks like the iOS 5.1 untethered jailbreak is on the way.
via Electronista