A while back we noted that refurbished iPhones still contained previous users' data and that there was no built-in way to securely erase it (though there were some rough suggested work-arounds). With the new 3G iPhone, and lots of upgrading, around the corner the problem seemed more worrisome than ever. However, AppleInsider is reporting that the iPhone 2.0 software will have a solution.Unlike the present "Erase All Content and Settings" feature in the iPhone Settings, the new version "will wipe data in similar fashion to the 'Secure Empty Trash' function of Mac OS X, by which all data is deleted, unlinked, and then overwritten several times to make it irretrievable by even the savviest of recovery tools." This is obviously good news for everyone looking to upgrade and it should roll out when iPhone 2.0 lands on July 11.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-27-2008 @ 1:29PM
YodaMac said...
I was hoping this would include "remote wiping" for regular consumers as well, but I guess that's just a Business Plan option. Too bad, as that would come in handy for ANYONE who has their iPhone stolen.
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6-27-2008 @ 2:37PM
mark said...
Wish this would have come out in 1.1.4. I could have save a lot of time writing a lengthy tutorial on this.
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6-27-2008 @ 2:38PM
behill said...
Remote wipe would be nice for all users, even at least mobileme customers, but I'll take this. I've been needing to take my iPhone to an apple store to get a new one (dead pixels) but the security had me worried. Good to know I'll be able to take it back with no worries after 2.0 is released.
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6-27-2008 @ 4:12PM
chong said...
Description Apple Iphone 16gb
GSM
EMAIL
MSN CHAT SIKIRUMART@LIVE.COM
* Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
iPhone is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply tapping a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a Windows PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want — just like email. iPhone is available in an 8GB model and a new 16GB model.
More Than a Music Phone
The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Locked AT&T 16 GIG combines three of the amazing products - a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough Internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, maps, and searching - into one small and lightweight handheld device. The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Unlocked also introduces an entirely new user interface based on a large multi-touch display and pioneering new software, letting you control everything with just your fingers. So it ushers in an era of software power and sophistication never before seen in a mobile device, completely redefining what you can do on a mobile phone.
Widescreen iPod
The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Locked AT&T 16 GIG is a widescreen iPod with touch controls that lets you enjoy all your content - including music, audiobooks, videos, TV shows, and movies - on a beautiful 3.5-inch widescreen display. It also lets you sync your content from the iTunes library on your PC or Mac. And then you can access it all with just the touch of a finger.
Revolutionary Phone
The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Locked AT&T 16 GIG is a revolutionary new mobile phone that allows you to make a call by simply pointing your finger at a name or number in your address book, a favorites list, or a call log. It also automatically syncs all your contacts from a PC, Mac, or Internet service. And it lets you select and listen to voicemail messages in whatever order you want - just like email.
Breakthrough Internet Device
The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Locked AT&T 16 GIG features a rich HTML email client and Safari - the most advanced web browser ever on a portable device - which automatically syncs bookmarks from your PC or Mac. Safari also includes built-in Google and Yahoo! search. The Apple iPhone is fully multi-tasking, so you can read a web page while downloading your email in the background over Wi-Fi or EDGE.
Multi-touch
The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Locked AT&T 16 GIG features the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse. It's an entirely new interface based on a large multi-touch display and innovative new software that lets you control everything using only your fingers. So you can glide through albums with Cover Flow, flip through photos and email them with a touch, or zoom in and out on a section of a web page - all by simply using iPhone's multi-touch display.
Intelligent Keyboard
The Apple iPhone 16GB iPhone 100% GSM Locked AT&T 16 GIG full QWERTY soft keyboard lets you easily send and receive SMS messages in multiple sessions. And the keyboard is predictive, so it prevents and corrects mistakes, making it easier and more efficient to use than the small plastic keyboards on many smartphones.
*Do not update or restore the firmware of this phone as it may lead to the phone becoming locked*
Size and weight
* Height: 4.5 inches (115 mm)
* Width: 2.4 inches (61 mm)
* Depth: 0.46 inch (11.6 mm)
* Weight: 4.8 ounces (135 grams)
Dimensions
In the box
* iPhone
* Stereo Headset
* Dock
* Dock Connector to USB Cable
* USB Power Adapter
* Documentation
* Cleaning/polishing cloth
iPhone Box
Capacity
* 8GB or 16GB flash drive1
Display
* 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display
* 480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 ppi
* Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously
Operating system
* OS X
GSM
* Quad-band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wireless data
* Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
* EDGE
* Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Camera
* 2.0 megapixels
Audio
* Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
* Audio formats supported: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 1, 2, and 3), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
Video
* Video formats supported: H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 768 Kbps, 320 by 240 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 1.3 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
iPhone Headphones
Headphones
* Stereo earphones with built-in microphone
* Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
* Impedance: 32 ohms
Mac system requirements
* Mac computer with USB 2.0 port
* Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later
* iTunes 7.5 or later
Windows system requirements
* PC with USB 2.0 port
* Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate Edition; or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later
* iTunes 7.5 or later
Environmental requirements
* Operating temperature: 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C)
* Nonoperating temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)
* Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
* Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)
Input and output
* iPhone
o 30-pin dock connector
o 3.5-mm stereo headphone minijack
* iPhone Dock
o Dock connector
Power and battery
* Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
* Talk time: Up to 8 hours2
* Standby time: Up to 250 hours3
* Internet use: Up to 6 hours4
* Video playback: Up to 7 hours5
* Audio playback: Up to 24 hours6
* iPhone on Dock
EMAIL
MSN CHAT SIKIRUMART@LIVE.COM
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6-27-2008 @ 4:25PM
mrsteveman1 said...
You don't need to wipe more than once with flash devices, one pass of zeros completely erases data.
That doesn't of course account for relocated blocks but overwriting 100 times wont get those anyway.
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6-27-2008 @ 5:58PM
Sam Weiss said...
Agreed... to bad we don't have one now with current firmware.
One option is to put my old phone on ebay. Surely it will be more valueable with 1.1.4 on it, so it can be unlocked. No evidence (yet) as to how hard it will be to hack 2.0, or downgrade once 2.0 is on the phone.
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6-27-2008 @ 6:03PM
Sean M said...
Hope this is at least somewhat protected. Nasty joke to play on someone if you get their iPhone for a minute.
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7-26-2008 @ 5:26PM
JeffDM said...
Sean M, this is protected by pass code. If you've enabled the pass code, you can't do a wipe of the iPhone. My 16GB unit reported a two hour time to wipe. Really, you have to know the pass code, if it's not pass code protected, then you have to have the device long enough to find the erase pane before the owner notices, which could be a long or short time, depending on the circumstances. Its location didn't seem that obvious, it took me a few minutes to find it.
6-28-2008 @ 6:13AM
Camperton said...
They should at least make remote wipe available to me.com customers.
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