In this tutorial guide I will show you two methods to unlock your iPhone 4 device with their limitations, pros and cons. Actually the first method that I will describe works for any iPhone version such as iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4 with any iOS (operating system) version (up to iOS firmware 4.2.1). The second method works for iPhone 4 running iOS versions 3.1.3 up to 4.0.

Some of you may be asking: Is it Legal? Ofcourse it is. In the USA and in European countries it is perfectly legal. Actually the U.S Copyright Office explicitly allowed iPhone Users to use their phones with applications that are not available from Apple’s store, and to unlock their iPhones for use with any cellular mobile carriers. So do not worry at all since unlocking your iPhone is perfectly legal.

METHOD 1: Easy and Safe but costs $25

OK, the first method that I will show you is not free. It will cost you $25 from what I remember but it works for ANY iPhone model (2G, 3G, 3GS, and 4) and for ANY software/firmware version (4.2.1, 4.2, 3.2, 3.1, etc).

However, the most important thing to consider is that this method is Safe for your device and also it includes a step-by-step guide so that even novice users can do it with no hassle. I suggest you to use this method (even if its not free) so that you won’t worry about any damage that might be caused to your iPhone which is a risk when you try to do it manually.

So here is what you have to do:

  1. Go to http://www.iphoneunlock.co/
  2. Click on the “UNLOCK” link at the top and follow the instructions.
  3. After you purchase you will receive all the required software (works for both MAC and Windows) and full user guide for unlocking you iPhone. You can get the product from HERE.

Some of the advantages of using this unlocking method are:

  • Works for ANY country no matter from which country you bought your iPhone or what SIM card and mobile carrier you are going to use.
  • They provide support 24/7 in case you have questions.
  • 100% Money Back Guarantee.
  • Lifetime subscription with one-time fee. You will be notified by email for any new iPhone updates and when their software is updated to support the latest Firmware.
  • Can use iPhone on any network after unlocking.
  • The Unlocking software works on both Windows and MAC computers.

So if you don’t want to mess around and keep searching the Internet for an unlock solution, just visit http://www.iphoneunlock.co/ for an easy and safe unlocking solution.

METHOD 2: Free but a little complicated and Risky

For iPhone 4 running firmware versions 3.1.3 – 4.0:

  • Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi network and also that 3G is turned off from your phone’s settings (Settings>General>Network).
  • Launch a browser like Safari and go to the site www.jailbreakme.com
  • This site will install an application on your iPhone (called ‘cydia‘) and will jailbreak your device. Jailbreaking is the first step necessary before unlocking your phone.

  • Now you will find the app named ‘cydia’ installed on iPhone from the site that you visited above.
  • Open ‘cydia’ and search for the word ‘ultrasn0w’. Now based on what version of ultrasn0w you are seeing, do the following :

If ultrasn0w version is less than 1.0.1, follow the below steps :

  • Press the Manage button and select Sources > Edit > add. Type ‘repo666.ultrasn0w.com’ without the quotes. What this does is to add a repository location which includes upgraded ultrasn0w versions higher than 1.0.1
  • Restart the iPhone.
  • Again open cydia and now check the version of ultrasn0w. It would have been upgraded.
  • Press the install button to install ultrasn0w. The iPhone is now unlocked!

If ultrasn0w version is greater than 1.0.1 :

  • Simply press the install button to install ultrasn0w. This will unlock the iPhone.

However doing the above can be a bit confusing and also time consuming plus it won’t work on iPhone 4 that is running iOS 4.x and above or below 3.1.3. Also, the above mentioned hack won’t work with iPhone4 running firmware version greater than 4.0.

Benefits for Unlocking Your iPhone

There are numerous advantages for having an unlocked iPhone. The most important of them are:

  • You can use the phone on any mobile carrier.
  • You can insert any SIM card (post or pre-paid card).
  • You can download and install a wide range of apps, games, software, wallpapers, themes, ringtones etc for free.
  • You can do more customizations and changes on the device that previously were not allowed.

Filed under: iPhone

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