Jail breaking without knowing the Firmware on an iPhone 4

rushrage · Sep 18, 2012

Hey Everybody!

I am getting into IOS development, and wanted a testing device. And so my friend who works for a company that gives out a lot of work phones talked to a guy and got a smashed up iPhone 4 for me to use as a testing device. I had to reset the iPhone because it had a number lock on it. But now it wants me to activate it but it does not have a SIM card in it. So I looked around a it looks like I need to jail break it so I can use it without having to pay for a contract. But I cannot see a way to find the firmware version so I can jail break it.

Do you guys have any ideas?

Thank you so much!

--Rush Rage

rushrage · Sep 18, 2012

Ohh, and I just remembered I know someone who has an iPhone 4 with a contract. Can I somehow use their SIM card to activate mine without hurting their contact/iPhone?

Thanks again!

f4780y · Sep 19, 2012

All the phone needs is a valid SIM for the carrier it is locked to. It does not have to be an active SIM with a contract. Say, for example, it is AT&T, you can simply get an inactive AT&T SIM and put it in there. You can normally get them off ebay for pennies, but if a friend has one that will do fine...
It is only needed to get past that stage, then you can remove it and it will function fine without a SIM in it.

rushrage · Sep 19, 2012

Ok, so what if the sim card is active, will it mess up my friends account if I use it for activation?

Thanks for your help.

iPhoneAmateur · Sep 19, 2012

Basically what he is saying is as follows. Your iPhone is locked to a certain carrier, be it O2 or Orange or whatever - all you need is a SIM Card of the same carrier that your phone is locked to and it does not have to be a contract one, nor the original that was in it.

If however, you know who the carrier is - there's a chance you can ring them up as to allow you to unlock your iPhone which they will only allow if you have come to the end of your ( or your - in this case - friend's ) contract.