iPhone 1.1.1 to 1.0.2 downgrade instructions released!

Well would you look at that, instructions are now available for downgrading your iPhone from 1.1.1 to 1.0.2. It won't downgrade your baseband, meaning so far you can't re-unlock an iPhone that's been 1.1.1-ified, but it's still 1.0.2 in all its third-party application glory. The iPhone Dev Team folks are working on a way to downgrade the new firmware to let people unlock their phones again, but for now AT&T users sitting pretty, and non-AT&T folks can at least do the WiFi thing. There's a video tutorial after the break.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - iPhone Dev Wiki instructions
Read - Hackint0sh thread where the magic happened

[alex @ Sep 29th 2007 11:36PM]

iPod. Still the shiniest!

[Mike @ Oct 1st 2007 5:57AM]

Yet again still trolling

[GoreTEX @ Sep 29th 2007 11:42PM]

iFone is a POS .. what are you guys gonna do? Keep it at 1.0.2 forevar? lmao

[derek @ Sep 30th 2007 12:00AM]

iFone?

[Khris @ Sep 30th 2007 12:29AM]

Jealousy will get you nowhere TEX!

Shouldn't you be gettin busy with a cousin or something incestuous like that?

[David W. @ Sep 30th 2007 2:36AM]

Khris...way to insult an entire state jackass

[Hairy Potter @ Sep 30th 2007 3:57AM]

haha! cant believe apple, will all that bad attitude, only get more visibility!

my macpro hdd just died and my ibook got all the side opening by itself and passed from white to brownish yellow... and that company still making more and more profit! next computer will be a pc! at least I will have the money to change more often!

okoteru!

[Jeff @ Sep 30th 2007 2:20PM]

GOD i'm starting to really hate engadget comment threads. especially when it has ANYTHING to do with Apple. is it ever ANYTHING other than a flame war?

you all suck.

[Joel Berggren @ Oct 1st 2007 1:16AM]

@hairy potter
no one in the history of this planet has switched from mac to pc, flame on elsewhere

[cadillackid @ Oct 7th 2007 5:45AM]

Hey I will keep it on 1.0.2 for my freedom... Fingers crossed my friends on the Dev Team come through with a hack on 1.1.1 so everyone can be free. I was suprised when i was able to restore to 1.0.2 the hack works. Only thing is that you must be running the newest version of i tunes

[Dale @ Sep 29th 2007 11:51PM]

Last I heard, the iPhone wasn't subsidized by AT&T. Therefore, why would Apple care so much? Oh...because they're a monopoly. They have a virtual monopoly on the MP# player market. And now there's trying to extend that monopoly into a new marketplace.

Where have I heard that before? Oh yea! Microsoft! So Apple is just as bad as Microsoft.

Don't buy Apple.

[derek @ Sep 30th 2007 12:00AM]

What the HELL are you talking about? Apple has an exclusive contract with AT&T. Apple has more control on adding new features than any other company, that's why it must be locked onto AT&T. It isn't a monopoly, if you don't like it, buy something else. You have options.

[Jesse S @ Sep 30th 2007 12:03AM]

Apple is hardly a monopoly, but no shit they are as bad as MS. They are a corporation, they hardly care about the consumer.

Apple marks up cheap products exponentially, designs them well, has (in a marketing sense) awesome marketing, and great business sense.

Don't tell the fanboys though, they'll kill you.

[Henrik J @ Sep 30th 2007 12:07AM]

AT&T paid Apple a lot of money to get exclusive rights to sell the iPhone and now AT&T needs to make a profit from selling services to the people who bought the phone, if Apple just said "Screw you AT&T, we allready got out money" then why would anyone want to work with Apple again? Why would any European cell cell company sign a similar deal if they could see that Apple did nothing about all those unlocked iPhones?

[michael @ Sep 30th 2007 1:13AM]

What the heck are you talking about?

As bad as Microsoft? Monopolies?

If you call Microsoft a monopoly, then I guess you could call Apple a monopoly also. Mainly the fact that it's installed on all Macs, so Mac users have smaller choice.

But I would hardly say their monopolies, because you can install many OS's on a computer. Nobody says you have to buy from a certain company. There's tons out there.

And as far as I'm concerned, Microsoft isn't bad, if you consider they still make products worth buying. I'd hardly call Xbox 360 or Office 07' bad.

So maybe you should do some research before accusing companies of bad stuff. They're in it for profit, as much as providing a good service.

[ark_v2 @ Sep 30th 2007 3:09AM]

It started to become after 2001. That's all I'm going to say about that. About someone pointing that the prices for apple products were low...are you feeling well?

[Dale @ Sep 30th 2007 5:40AM]

Oh I know Microsoft and Apple well. I worked almost 13 years for Microsoft and during that time did much competitive research on Apple. This isn't off the cuff. Its with a ton of experience, inside knowledge, and wisdom.

Buy what you want to. But realize that Apple has a monopoly on the mp* market and is trying to extend that into the cell market. Micrsoft has a monopoly on the OS market as evidenced in both the marketplace and by US and EU ruling.

Anyone have more knowledge and experience? I'm really open to it but I doubt many do.

[John @ Sep 30th 2007 10:36AM]

Marketing 101: High market share and monopoly are two different concepts entirely.

A monopoly is when there is only one product on the market that fulfills a specific need. High market share is when there are multiple products on the market, but one sells more and more people have it.

I several MP3 players before iPod came out, and I would NEVER go back. Does Apple care about me specifically? Probably not. At the same time, when I owned PCs, I never once got the feeling that Microsoft cared about my experience. Half of my time on the computer was searching knowledge bases for how to remove spyware or how to keep automatic update from restarting my computer every 5 minutes. At least with Apple products, I don't feel like I have to deal with that bullshit and I can just...get on the computer, do what I need to, and log off.

Saying Apple sucks because they're a corporation is really funny, considering we live in a corporate society, and I'm willing to bet that about 1% of everything you own comes from a "Ma and Pa Shop."

DON'T HATE THE PLAYAZ, HATE THE GAME.

[luke @ Sep 30th 2007 1:40PM]

you are as ignorant as the load i just flushd.

[Mitch @ Sep 30th 2007 1:39PM]

You are Wrong, Apple in fact was the original monopoly, does any one remember back to the APPLE II Days?

Apple would not license the system to anyone keeping up the costs of computers in the 2K range while counterfeits, where selling for under 500.00, the one company that worked out a way to emulate them (Franklin Computer of NJ) they sued until they put them out of the computer business.

So, this is nothing new for APPLE it their standard practice. Anyone who thinks that APPLE is the Good guy and MS is the Bad guy should look into Apple's business practices. They are one of the most Hawkish IP companies around, and when it comes to releasing anything for the greater good, if it isn't good for APPLE then it isn't good, period!

[Rich UK @ Sep 30th 2007 4:05PM]

Just because apple may have been a monoply back in the apple II days doesn't mean it is now, if you invent something new and sell it you are more than likely going to be the monopoly! MS and Apple can't both be monopolies at the same game. Would people quit calling apple a monopoly, they haven't monopolised anything really!

[manfesto @ Sep 29th 2007 11:52PM]

Holy Crap! I've been trying to find a way to do this since 1.1.1 came out! My phone wasn't unlocked or had any third-party apps, but 1.1.1 broke my iToner ringtones.

Well, now I'm gonna downgrade - and I'm gonna install third-party apps like crazy just because I can.

//made the mistake of assuming I'd be able to restore to 1.0.2 after updating

[manfesto @ Sep 30th 2007 1:18AM]

http://iphone.fiveforty.net/wiki/index.php/Downgrade_from_1.1.1_to_1.0.2

At least one guy has taken a 1.1.1 iPhone, restored to 1.0.2, and even re-flashed his baseband back to the old version and was able to unlock it!

[Xzavier @ Sep 30th 2007 2:14AM]

If you hack your ring tones you've should have know better NOT to perform an update in the first place! Especially with Apple providing you/everybody with FAIR NOTICE of something might happen with the next upgrade!

What were you thinking... Maybe your ring tones would be louder or something?

Boy, these fanboys... I tell ya...

:P

[manfesto @ Sep 30th 2007 2:36AM]

Exceppt that I used iToner, which is a commercial product and isn't a hack (it does not involve jailbreaking). iToner even claimed falsely (and STILL claims) that "Even better, your ringtones will continue to work with future iPhone OS updates!"

Also, I do SO get annoyed when people liberally throw around the word "fanboy" when they know little-to-nothing about another's personal preferences or tastes. FWIW, I do own a few Apple products, in addition to a Linux desktop, and I support a mixed Windows/Mac environment with various multimedia applications at my job. I am no fanboy - I buy products from whoever provides the product I think has the best value to me, regardless of the company that makes them. I think the Apple products I own provide good value - I LIKE my iPhone better than any other phone I've used, Apple product or not. I don't mind AT&T - they provide better coverage in my area than my last Sprint phone, so I don't see the need to unlock it.

As for Apple the company, I have no illusion that Apple will act in its own interests before mine, hence why the 1.1.1 update provided no compelling reason to update whilst breaking even the simplest of added functionality (Seriously, I might've kept 1.1.1 and forgone my lost ringtones if the wireless iTunes store would let me download songs over EDGE, or let me buy videos - but it does NEITHER. What, does Apple expect me to be near wifi all of the time? Like if I'm at the mall and hear a song I like?)

[dhaasgob @ Sep 30th 2007 3:51AM]

iToner does use some form of 'jailbreaking,' it just didn't 'claim' it. How do you think it was able to put ringtones into the virtually invisible file system on the iPhone?

The iTunes Wi-Fi store is a good *secondary music store* when one is on the go and can find a hotspot (the number of those is growing and you know it).
Remember Napster Mobile? It's expensive (mostly carriers' fault) and on runs on pretty slow systems like EDGE. EDGE is not a good means to download iPod-quality music. I'm sure AT&T has concerns with bandwidth used for music downloads, and that's probably why they parted ways with Napster's emerging Mobile OTA service a few years ago.

I love my iPhone, and I know that all products have limitations. But it's not like you didn't already know about the limits.

Back OT: I like the options on returning to 1.0.2, but the quality of the 3rd party apps aren't up to a level that I'd revert for. By the time they do mature, the iPhone filesys will be cracked again. I can wait til then.

[manfesto @ Sep 30th 2007 6:37AM]

"How do you think it was able to put ringtones into the virtually invisible file system on the iPhone?"

iToner uses a mechanism much like the one iTunes uses to sync ringtones - I don't know the specifics of how it works, but when you're using iToner to upload your ringtones, your iPhone actually says "Sync in progress." There is no jailbreaking - just fooling your iPhone into thinking it's connected to iTunes.

EDGE is just fine for downloading songs - a minute or two is all it takes for me to download a 2MB PDF attachment, so I'd be fine waiting maybe five minutes to hear the song I just heard in my local mall/grocery store/etc. I'm sure AT&T's bandwidth concerns are exactly why the store doesn't work over EDGE - like I said, I have no illusions that Apple will act in its own interests and the interests of its partners before my own. I have no real problem with that - I'm just saying that without that, the wireless store is not a compelling enough reason for me to keep my phone at 1.1.1 (hence my downgrade).

With concern to wifi hotspots, yes, there are more every day, but it is rare that I find an OPEN, FREE one in a public place. Coffee shops and malls like to charge out the nose for it if they even offer it, and that will probably never change (except, of course, at Starbucks when more of their stores become iPhone/iPod touch ready).

[Xzavier @ Sep 30th 2007 3:21PM]

Boy Manfesto.. I didn't realize you were going to get so upset. So let me clarify a few things for you...

Yes you DID hack you iPhone P.E.R.O.I.D.

Just like you are getting tired of hearing the misuse of the word... *fanboy*. For many years I have been getting tired of the misuse of the word *hack!* Whether you hack your device/app via a command line yourself or you hack your device/app via another program with a nice pretty GUI which was not written by the supporting developers of the device/app. It is a HACK!

Hack
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/h/hack.html

I too own Apple products and many other PC products. 4 Power Mac's, 1 3rd gen dead iPod and I am ACTC 10.3 certified, currently working on 10.4 certification. I worked in I.T. supporting various platforms! However the reason why I stated that you are a fanboy (as stated above in my previous statement) is because you performed the update (Not for ANY other Reason!) Now after listing to you state that you support various OS platforms and you in I.T. I wonder even more??? Ask ANY I.T. person about support... if you ask them to help you out with and issue, one of the first things they will say is... did you D/L the latest drivers/update/etc... Call up any company asking for support and that is the first question they ask you... (after the get your CC info, :D)

So now since I have a little bit more info on you... I would say... YES you are a FANBOY! Why... Because you out of all people should KNOW what just MIGHT happen if you UPDATE the software, and your in I.T.! A Fanboy thinks different and hopes that the update won't restore the phone towards it original state & keeps their modifications/*HACKS*, then goes out and perform the updates without waiting on any feedback or doing any research on the just release update. Like lots of companies out their... Just because a update or a new product is release. They will WAIT and see what that new update/product will do in the real world before they push it out to all of their users. And yes I have work in companies which push out software as soon it's available.

p.s. From a person would wouldn't mind buying a iPhone but didn't because the iPhone is more hype that product. Not only is that my opinion, however it is what most people debate about in the iPhone, just read the forums!

[manfesto @ Sep 30th 2007 3:55PM]

@Xzavier

I performed the update because I wanted to use the iTunes wireless store (if that point wasn't clear in my previous posts, I hope it is now) - THAT was my reason. Unfortunately, it turned out that the wireless store was not worth upgrading for (to me). I didn't perform the update blindly - I had a reasonable level of assurance from the company I BOUGHT a product from that it would still work (Ambrosia Software, who claimed that iToner would work with future iPhone updates). They were wrong, and, in retrospect, I was wrong for having trusted them.

I guess we'll have to disagree on the definition of "hack" - I come from a time when "hack" had all sorts of connotations of a deep understanding of Computer Science and a level of difficulty few could match. I don't call what l33t script kiddies with no real skill do in IRC chatrooms "hacking," so I certainly won't call buying a $15 shareware product "hacking" either. Sure, you have your dictionary definition of "hack," but those that actually have done or do a fair amount of real "hacking" would disagree with your overarching definition.

I could really care less about your opinion of whether or not the iPhone is more hype than product - at the end of the day, it is the product that I feel best suits my needs and wants in a phone (except not letting my put my own ringtones on "out of the box" - but that's not NEARLY a big enough gripe to send me looking for a (in my opinion) clunky Treo). If you don't like it, fine - just remember that the fact that you don't like it doesn't validate your points any more than the fact I own one validates mine. Stating that you "wouldn't mind buying a iPhone but didn't because the iPhone is more hype that product" does not contribute meaningfully to our discussion of the iPhone update.

Also, I don't work in IT - I work in Multimedia. It is bad to make assumptions based on limited information.

[rotelle3 @ Sep 30th 2007 12:18AM]

Using the "open letter" format by Jobs, Apple should grant a one-time reprieve to all those who did NOT unlock their phones but DID install third-party apps (some which are excellent) so that those users would be able to reinstall their favorite third-party apps again. The financial hit to Apple would be insignificant (even though I'm sure their developers have lots of additional apps they'd like to sell you via iTunes or some other method), good PR would results ("Apple Does the Right Thing" headlines on BBC.com and the NYT) and David Pogue would be happy as well. As long as VoIP apps are excluded, I see no complaints from AT&T, as their revenue stream would return to normal. I am no lawyer, but this seems a win-win for all concerned, except for those who unlocked their phones (who at this point are out of luck). There was no reason for Apple not to allow third party apps to run on the iPhone in the first place, and whether they intentionally deleted those apps with the 1.1.1 update or not, real or perceived sins will be forgiven and forgotten within a week or two.

Ishan Bhattacharya, MD

[rav97 @ Sep 30th 2007 1:27PM]

@rotelle3:
Apple doesn't want users to install 3rd party applications. The official excuse for the iPhone was that 3rd party apps may "damage the carrier's (AT&T's) network", but we know that this is b.s. because Apple doesn't let users install apps in the iPod Touch either.
My guess is that sometime in 2008 they will allow the downloading of 3rd party apps from "selected developers" through iTunes for both the iPhone and the iPod Touch; you'll have to pay a lot of $$$ for them, and Apple will have a profit sharing agreement for those apps, so that part of $$$ that you pay will end in Apple's pocket.

[Ryan Karolak @ Sep 30th 2007 12:31AM]

If you are using OS X in iTunes you need to Option-Click. This isn't mentioned in the video. Shift-Click is for Windows.

[Constable Odo @ Sep 30th 2007 12:38AM]

Oh, this is a really useful exercise in futility. Downgrade the firmware and then the next upgrade of iTunes will spit out a message saying, "Sorry this iTunes version won't work with your iPhone unless you're using the latest firmware." Apple will be up to version 2.1 in a month or so and you'll still be using 1.0.2 firmware. That's fairly ass-backwards.

Why don't you just sell or trade your iPhone for some already unlocked handset for christmas sake? If the iPhone and Apple suck so much why bother with them at all?

[bugmat @ Sep 30th 2007 7:12AM]

What's @$$ backwards is not realising that you are not compelled to upgrade iTunes either "genius"! If iTunes 7.4.1 syncs music notes etc unto your 1.0.2 iPhone why upgrade esp if you don't want the music store (iTunes already does that!)?! But I'm sure some ppl are just so impatient they have to buy a song NOW on the spot rather than wait to go home!

[Alfredo Octavio @ Sep 30th 2007 12:49AM]

Steve Jobs bitches won't do anything Apple won't let them do...

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Sep 30th 2007 5:20PM]

This is silly flame bait.

I'm buying Apple gear mainly because I need not install tricky 2nd/3rd party software to do most of I need from Macs.

IOW, some see it as platform being locked. But I personally do not care about that. All I care about is that stuff I'm getting from Apple does work reliably - and does what I need. To date my experience was pretty good: there were some problems in 10.3.x times (this is my first MacOSX version). 10.4.x - completely troublefree. If feature isn't there - I wouldn't buy the gear. Simple as that.

If devices wasn't fitting your purposes (its features were all well advertised before launch) or its rate plan is too expensive (what was also well known before) - why on Earth did you ever bought it?????????

SIM unlocking is silly. Such cracking to me defies all the purpose of buying the well-integrated Apple gear.

e.g. I have iPod with all the limited feature set - compared to Creative or iRiver or Sansa. Still iPods beats them all on ease of use and sound quality. I knew device had limitations. But leveraging long list of features of competitors with my hands-on experience with them - iPod won me by very thick margin.

[Disclaimer: I do NOT own iPhone. It's not sold in Germany yet.]

[jj @ Sep 30th 2007 12:52AM]

Haha.
The way they reamed that guy at first was hilarious.

I mean, it almost seemed too good to be true.
I'll be right across the border picking up a few iPhones tomorrow morning.

[John Doe @ Sep 30th 2007 1:34AM]

There is an easier way to downgrade...throw the piece of crap out and get a real phone that allows you to do what you want with it.

[pete @ Sep 30th 2007 1:40AM]

I think apple is most stupid.don't know how. not sure who there are.
don't no how to make it on there owl.company.ther need partner.to show them how.like gsm phone.
GSM mean world Phone.
Apple think ATT.U.S.A
=this mean Apple well buy your $1.00 for $100.00
what kind of thinking this this .
communist in the free land.
nokia vertu go for $30,000.00 US
iphone unlock can sell easy 1,000.00 us
intred $299.99 us. lock to ATT.and lose $700.00
all law said you cannot lock Phone.
how you get aways with it.
buy the law in u.s.a and think no one well know
Please.....
iPhone Dev Wiki you are true freedom fighter.
Apple we well buy allyour Iphone for $299.99
and sale for $1500.00 unlock.all over the world.
your lost is are gain .thank you
for be stupid.you not only one know how to read and write.

[Reader @ Sep 30th 2007 2:15AM]

English mother fucker, do you speak it?

And it looks like google is down again (11:14pm), wonder what has been up with them lately.

[jj @ Sep 30th 2007 1:47AM]

Why don't you iPhone haters just not read these posts?
I mean, I know people say this all the time, but I mean, your jealousy or general hatred of the iPhone won't deter it's users.

Well, let me take it back. It makes you feel better about yourself.
"Guess what honey, I totally FLAMED those mac fanboys on Engadget today."
She'll love you then.

Ya clowns...

[J @ Sep 30th 2007 2:08AM]

I need clarification on this....

IF you are an AT&T subscriber, and have updated to the 1.1.1 firmware, and you downgrade to 1.0.2, do you still have full functionality of the phone?

Also, has anyone tried going from this method, back to 1.1.1? Just precautionary, as I can see Apple releasing an update that checks firmware, and bricks iPhones that have the 1.0.2 FW, with the newer BB version.

[J @ Sep 30th 2007 2:55AM]

Confirmed that it works. Thanks Alan. And thanks to KMC....he's the one who discovered this over on the board.

[Alan @ Sep 30th 2007 2:13AM]

just downgraded, man i thought i was going to be stuck with no 3rd party apps forever.....
is there anywhere i can download itunes version 7.4.1, i know there is filehippo but that is for windows users..... im on a mac

[J @ Sep 30th 2007 2:17AM]

Are you an AT&T subscriber? If so, do you have full functionality of the phone still?

[Alan @ Sep 30th 2007 2:20AM]

yea, i am an ATT subsriber and i do have a fully functional phone, internet, text message and the works, it works like normal, no problems.....
if you are an ATT subscriber there is nothing to worry about.

[TjL @ Sep 30th 2007 2:48AM]

@Alan

http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iTunes7/Mac/061-3889-20070907.ItU741/iTunes7.4.1.dmg

[nikster @ Sep 30th 2007 2:24AM]

Wow - iPhoneDevWiki now has reports of people buying vanilla 1.1.1 iPhones and downgrading them to 1.0.2

But it's even better - they were able to downgrade the firmware to 1.0.2 but not the baseband which allowed them to dump the _new_ baseband - once it's understood what the difference with the new baseband is, that's a great first step on a complete unlocking solution for 1.1.1.

The method can also be used to recover bricked iPhones. So fear not, iPhone hackers have jumped to the rescue where Apple has abandoned its customers.

And... the 1.0.2 iPhone is still better than any other smart phone out there, so what the heck.

[jilie @ Sep 30th 2007 5:38AM]

1.0.2 iPhone is still better than any other smart phone out there??? hahaahhahaahahaha!!! buhahahahahahaha

[PureCyanide @ Sep 30th 2007 3:01AM]

I need some help here i bought an iphone a day before the update so i what FW will i get with it? and how can i update it to 1.02 from 1.01 ?