Pod2g Updates On iOS 5.1 Untethered Jailbreak Status

Not too long ago, an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 was released. Absinthe was a huge, long awaited accomplishment but it’s a thing of the past now. The entire jailbreak community now has their eyes glued to the developers once again, this time for the iOS 5.1 and its untethered jailbreak.

Possibly sick of all the queries thrown his way regarding the untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1, and keeping up with his tradition of regularly updating everybody, the renowned iOS researcher Pod2g has tweeted that there is no expected time arrival for when it will arrive:

Previously, we informed you that Pod2g had found all exploits needed for the new jailbreak and was working on bypassing ASLR at bootup. Pod2g has recently also accomplished that and bypassed ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization). ASLR is basically a technology implemented by Apple within iOS to prevent security attacks and it makes it difficult for attackers to predict target addresses. Bypassing ASLR at bootup is therefore an important stage in the process of getting to an untethered jailbreak.

The updated version of iOS, 5.1 came with the new iPad, which is another hurdle in the way of an untethered jailbreak because the new iPad came with a new A5X processor. However, three different developers, MuscleNerd, Stefan Esser and Grant Paul all succeeded in jailbreaking the device in an astonishingly short period of time. The reason the method was not released to the public was that it was unfortunately not suitable for distribution; hence a userland jailbreak is in the works.

However, it is important to note here that no ETA can be given for that, still, because a lot remains to be done. Finding exploits is just the beginning of the process, and to use the exploits achieved to get to a stable jailbreak on all iOS devices is what remains to be done. When Pod2g tweeted that he had all the exploits, Grant Paul (@chpwn) clarified that finding the exploits does not necessarily mean a jailbreak exists, and hence Pod2g’s latest tweet saying the untethered jailbreak could take up to 2 months and that he has no clue about the ETA.

It was expected that the iOS 5.1 untethered jailbreak would be released sooner than preceding jailbreaks, because the third generation iPad was jailbroken within a day of its release. Sadly that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore but don’t lose hope. It can be said for certain that the devoted team of hackers and developers will continue to work on it and maybe the puzzle will be solved soon enough. Keep your fingers crossed.

Not all is bleak for the community though. Over the weekend, a new unlock method was discovered which works on any baseband and firmware at all given that the iPhone in question is jailbroken. To unlock your device using this method, follow our comprehensive guide. If your device isn’t jailbroken yet, you can enjoy a semi-tethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1 which is available through Redsn0w and Sn0wbreeze tools. For those who haven’t yet upgraded to the latest firmware version and are still on iOS 5.0.1, an untethered jailbreak is available through Absinthe for iPhone 4S and iPad2 and through Corona for iPhone 4 and other A4 and earlier devices.