Siri on the iPhone 4 Legally
The newest version of the Apple iPhone OS is iOS 5.0.1 launched on December 16, 2011. While the platform update is needed and solid, there is a back door of sorts that, reportedly, leaves the plaform’s RAM disks unencrypted. For those people with a bit of technical knowhow, or the ability to do a little creative Google-Fu, can produce a script that will allow one to bring a virtual personal assistant to iPHone4 owners.
This will allow the Apple iPhone 4 to get Siri. For those devices not currently running the latest update it can be automatically downloaded; those who have the software version will likely need to download the revised update for iOS 5.0.1 via a direct link from Apple.
This method of obtaining Siri for iPhone 4 users is miles apart from the process of getting unique identifiers and ‘validation tokens’, which are viewed as possibly dangerous because of Apple dim legal view on users getting files from other devices. This new method resultant from the unencrypted RAM disks allows users to use files from their personal device, thus keeping everything on the up and up in legal terms.
The reason behind Apple’s ‘oversight’ of the unencrypted RAM disks is up for speculation at this time, and much will be revealed if they return to encrypted status with the release of iOS 5.1. Whatever the reason, those iPhone 4 users running the latest iOS 5.0.1 can ‘hack’ their way to running Siri on their phones without running the risk of feeling the all powerful Apple’s legal wrath.
In the last couple of days, a blog called 9to5mac uploaded a video showing how well Siri works on an iPhone4. The video by Irish hacker of the iPhone, Steve Troughton-Smith, was preceded earlier this month by one showing the software installed but unable to work properly.
According to Troughton-Smith, the hack seems to work with more than just the iPhone 4, other devices including the 4th generation iPod touch can use the workaround in order to run Siri without any hardware difficulties or functionality issues.
