iOS 5 hacked in one day, update now available

By Andrew Couts Published June 20, 2012

iOS 5 imessage — Image used with permission by copyright holder

And just like that, iOS 5 has a work-around: Only a day after Apple unveiled its next-generation iOS 5 mobile operating system for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, one Apple fan has discovered how to upgrade to the new OS without a developer account.

Registered iOS developers were immediately able to access the new OS as soon as Apple made the official announcement on Monday. The rest of us without dev credentials have to wait until sometime this Fall, probably September, for the official release of iOS 5. But with the help of self-described “Apple lover” Mert Erdir, anyone can install the beta release of iOS 5 right now.

Recommended Videos

Erdir, a photographer from Istanbul, Turkey, uncovered a backdoor in iOS 5, which makes the software upgrade accessible without a developer account. He then published a video with instructions for the upgrade to his Twitter feed.

The hack involves installing the beta release of iTunes 10.5 (the current version, 10.2.2 doesn’t support iOS 5), a iOS device firmware update, and a willingness to risk completely bricking your iPhone, iPad, etc.

For those of you who want to try to perform the iOS 5 “hack” now, just check out Gizmodo‘s instructions. That said, we don’t recommend anyone actually do this. Sure, everything will probably be fine. It’s a simple update during which nothing much can go wrong.

But remember, there’s a reason iOS 5 won’t be officially ready until fall: it’s still under development, and could very well be unstable. Plus, with iOS 5’s Over The Air connection capabilities, Apple could very well smite you for your brazenness with a debilitating update that you can’t do anything about.

In fact, they may have already closed the door Erdir found swinging in the wind. “I think Apple sent an update Over The Air to fix my workaround,” he wrote on Twitter, at about midnight (EST), after a follower reported that he couldn’t connect to iTunes after the upgrade. “I’ll look when I get back!” At the time of this writing, he hadn’t yet returned.

Does the hack still work for you? Let us know in the comments.

Former Staff Writer

Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…

Topics

Apple

Phones

The best note-taking apps for iOS and Android

I tested these apps for months so your notes never have to switch homes again.

iPhone showing note-taking apps

Choosing a note-taking app is not easy. What note-taking app you choose depends on your needs, the platform you use, and of course, the cost. The process becomes even more complicated as it seems that there’s a new shiny app released every other week.

That’s why I always suggest choosing a note-taking app that has all the features you need and can last you for a long time. Also, don’t chase new apps. The real power of a note-taking app comes when all your notes live in one place, making it easy to spot connections between them.

Phones

The best phones in 2026: our 14 favorite smartphones right now

We tested phones across all price brackets so that you can make the best pick based on your needs and budget.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold vs Galaxy Z Fold 7 cameras

Choosing the right smartphone in 2026 is no easy task. Apple and Android manufacturers now have strong options at almost every price, while better cameras, longer battery life, improved software support, new AI features, and more refined foldable designs have made the market more competitive than ever. But picking one is not easy, especially if your budget is tight, or you are just legitimately concerned about getting the best value for your money and need a reliable daily driver for long-term usage.

We have tested and compared the leading smartphones available today, looking beyond the spec sheet to see how they actually perform in daily use. Camera quality, battery life, performance, display quality, software, design, and long-term value all play a part in our recommendations. Whether you are looking for a powerful flagship, a dependable budget phone, a compact device, or a foldable, this guide should help narrow down your choices.

Mobile

Snapchat Planets Meaning: Order, Rankings, and How Friend Solar System Works

Snapchat Planets turns your best friends list into a solar system, and yes, your orbit says a lot

Snapchat Planets being shown on the Snapchat app on iPhone.

Snapchat+ includes several exclusive features, but few have generated as much curiosity as Snapchat Planets. Part of the app's Friend Solar System, it transforms your Best Friends list into a planetary ranking, assigning each of your top eight friends a planet based on how often you interact.

From Mercury, which represents your closest friend, to Neptune, which represents your eighth closest, the system offers a quick visual snapshot of your interactions. But what do the different planets actually mean, and how does Snapchat decide who gets which one?