edepot World Religion Music Games Stores Forums Feedback Search Sitemap
Technology PS3 Secrets : PSP Secrets : iPhone Secrets

iPhone Secrets




The purpose of this webpage is to provide information (a majority are secret or are hard to find) on the iPhone (and iPod touch). It will mainly concentrate on the more feature rich iPhone, but sometimes information on the iPod Touch will be added if it is not too distracting. If you think you know all there is to know about the iPhone, read the following and you might learn a thing or two that you didn't know before. It is updated as new information is uncovered in the public, so visit often if you wish to keep up to date on the latest secrets. Please link to this webpage rather than copy the contents. And do remember that the ads support this page so visit them if they interest you. If you wish to ask a question or provide input, feel free to leave a post at: iPhone Discussion Forum.



Table of Contents

iPhone Discussion Forum
Feedback
Donate
RSS:
Follow Me on Twitter
Clicking on a link in the Table of Contents takes you to the selected topic, and while there, if you click on the topic title, it will take you back to this Table of Contents.





iPhone Model Differences


The following chart describes the basic differences between various iPhone and iPod Touch model numbers. iPod Classic, iPod Mini, iPod Photo, iPod Video, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Nano are not included because they are not able to run the same software as iPhone and iPod touch (which have binary code compatibility.) What this means is that compiled code can run on iPhone or iPod Touch unmodified (and on later device versions, as long as you are able to download and install them). Note that special applications that makes use of hardware on newer versions of the iPhone (like the digital compass capability of the iPhone 3GS) would not work on earlier models.

For quick identification purposes, the iPod Touch will have "1G", "2G", or "3G" to designate the iPod Touch generation (1G = first generation; 2G = second generation; etc). These quoted abbreviations have nothing to do with the 3G designation used to indicate cellular technology generation on the iPhone 3G. Applications on iPod Touch "1G", "2G", and "3G" are not able to use any cellphone hardware capabilities at all. For the original iPhone, it will sometimes be identified as iPhone "2G" (since it uses GSM, a cellular 2G standard). In other words, quoted designations are not official product names from Apple (unlike non-quoted ones), but are used to identify your device.

Visually, all iPod Touch models have an aluminum back with a small plastic covering in the top left corner. iPod Touch "1G" has squarish covering, while the iPod Touch "2G"/"3G" have an oval covering. Only the iPhone "2G" has an aluminum back (without the top left plastic covering). Both iPhone 3G and 3GS have plastic backs.

The Model Number is located on the back of the iPhone or iPod Touch.

ModelCommon NameFlash(GB)DRAMSamsung ARM CPUPowerVR GPUCameraBluetoothHSDPAA-GPSCompassFirst Release
A1213iPod Touch "1G"8,16,32128MB1176JZ(F)-S (412MHz)MBX LiteNoNoNoNoNoSep, 2007
A1288iPod Touch "2G"8,16,32128MBARM11 (533MHz)+ ARM7MBX LiteNo2.1 (A2DP)NoNoNoSep, 2008
A1318iPod Touch "3G"32,64256MBCortex-A8 (600MHz)SGXNo2.1 (A2DP)NoNoNoSep, 2009
ModelCommon NameFlash(GB)DRAMSamsung ARM CPUPowerVR GPUCameraBluetoothHSDPAA-GPSCompassFirst Release
A1203iPhone "2G"4,8,16128MB1176JZ(F)-S(412MHz)MBX Lite2MP2.0NoNoNoJun, 2007
A1241iPhone 3G8,16128MB1176JZ(F)-S(412MHz)MBX Lite2MP2.0 (A2DP)3.6MbpsYesNoJul, 2008
A1303iPhone 3GS16,32256MBCortex-A8 (600MHz)SGX3.15MP2.1 (A2DP)7.2MbpsYesYesJun, 2009


Although the Model Number lets you know what type of device you have (iPhone or iPod Touch), and the generation ("1G"/"2G"/"3G", or "2G"/3G/3GS), they don't tell you much about the color and size of the flash memory. The back of the iPhone and iPod Touch box contains a Part No. that provides these information. This Part No. can also be gotten by going into Settings->General->About, and looking at the Model listing field. Note that sometimes refurbished units will not match the descriptions because some internal parts may have been swapped.

Part No.ModelCommon NameFlash SizeColor (Back)Release DateComments
MA623 (PA623,PA624,PA839)A1213iPod Touch "1G"8GBAluminumSep 5, 2007.
MA627 (PA627,PA628)A1213iPod Touch "1G"16GBAluminumSep 5, 2007.
MB376A1213iPod Touch "1G"32GBAluminumFeb 5, 2008.
MB525A1288iPod Touch "2G"8GBAluminumSep 9, 2008.
MB528 (PB528,PB529)A1288iPod Touch "2G"8GBAluminum.
MC086A1288iPod Touch "2G"8GBAluminumSep 9, 2009Released with iPod Touch "3G"
MB531 (PB531,PB532)A1288iPod Touch "2G"16GBAluminumSep 9, 2008.
MB533 (PB533,PB534)A1288iPod Touch "2G"32GBAluminumSep 9, 2008.
MC008A1318iPod Touch "3G"32GBAluminumSep 9, 2009.
MC011A1318iPod Touch "3G"64GBAluminumSep 9, 2009.
Part No.ModelCommon NameFlash SizeColor (Back)Release DateComments
MA501A1203iPhone "2G"4GBAluminumJun 29, 2007.
MA712A1203iPhone "2G"8GBAluminumJun 29, 2007.
MB384A1203iPhone "2G"16GBAluminumFeb 5, 2008.
MB046A1241iPhone 3G8GBBlackJun 11, 2008.
MB489A1241iPhone 3G8GBBlack.
MB048A1241iPhone 3G16GBBlackJun 11, 2008.
MB496A1241iPhone 3G16GBBlack.
MB499A1241iPhone 3G16GBWhite.
MB501A1241iPhone 3G16GBWhite.
MB632A1241iPhone 3G16GBWhite.
MB715A1303iPhone 3GS16GBBlackJun 16, 2009.
MB735A1303iPhone 3GS16GBBlackJun 16, 2009.
MB716A1303iPhone 3GS16GBWhiteJun 16, 2009.
MB736A1303iPhone 3GS16GBWhiteJun 16, 2009.
MB717A1303iPhone 3GS32GBBlackJun 16, 2009.
MB737A1303iPhone 3GS32GBBlackJun 16, 2009.
MC133A1303iPhone 3GS32GBBlackJun 16, 2009.
MB718A1303iPhone 3GS32GBWhiteJun 16, 2009.
MB738A1303iPhone 3GS32GBWhiteJun 16, 2009.


Note that in different regions, differing suffix for the Part Number exist. The following is a sample of the Part Number Suffix and what region they denote.

Apple Model No.Common NameEuropeAmericanUKx1x2x3x4x5x6
A1213iPod Touch "1G"MA627ZKMA627LL/AMA627ZO/AMA627C/A....
A1288iPod Touch "2G".MB528LL/A.......
A1203iPhone "2G".........
A1241iPhone 3G.........
A1303iPhone 3GS.........


If you are interested in what the other model numbers are (between A1200 and A1303), the following is a list. Apple releases devices with incremental model numbers. They do not seem to follow any pattern other than the numbers being incremental.

A1200: iMac
A1202: iMac 12V 1.8A AC Adapter
A1203: iPhone 4GB/8GB
A1204: iPod Shuffle 1GB
A1205: iPod USB Charger Adapter
A1207: iMac Core2Duo 2.16GHz
A1208: iMac
A1211: MacBook Pro 15" 1.16GHz CoreDuo
A1212: MacBook Pro 17" 2.33GHz
A1213: iPod Touch 1G
A1218: Apple TV 40GB
A1221: iPhone Bluetooth headset
A1222: MagSafe 85W Power Adapter for MacBook Pro
A1224: iMac 20" 2.4GHz 320GB
A1225: iMac 24"
A1226: MacBook Pro 15.4"
A1229: MacBook Pro 17"
A1232: USB Adapter 5V Cable (iPhone iPod)
A1233: iPod Classic 6G 120GB
A1234: Dual Dock Charger
A1236: iPod Nano 4GB/8GB
A1237: MacBook Air 1.8GHz
A1238: iPod Classic 6G 80GB
A1241: iPhone 3G 8GB/16GB
A1242: iMac Keyboard
A1243: Ultra Thin Wired Keyboard
A1244: MagSafe AC Adapter For MacBook Air 45W
A1245: MacBook Air 37WH Replacement Battery
A1254: Time Capsule 500GB
A1255: Wireless (Bluetooth) Keyboard
A1256: iPhone Universal Dock with Remote
A1258: iPod AV+USB Cable
A1259: iPhone TV AV+USB Cable
A1260: MacBook Pro 15" Core2Duo 2.5GHz
A1261: MacBook Pro Core2Dul 2.5GHz 2GB 250GB
A1262: MacBook Pro 17" Core2Duo 2.5GHz
A1264: Airport Express 802.11n
A1265: USB Power Adapter (iPhone iPod)
A1267: 24" Flat Panel LED Cinema Display
A1270: MacBook Air Superdrive
A1271: iPod Shuffle 4GB
A1277: USB Ethernet Adapter
A1278: MacBook Pro 13.3" Core2Dul 2GHz 2GB 250GB
A1280: MacBook 13"
A1281: MacBook Pro 15"
A1283: Mac Mini
A1285: iPod Nano 8GB/16GB
A1286: Macbook Pro 15.4"
A1288: iPod Touch 2G
A1290: MagSafe 85W Power Adapter
A1236: iPod Nano 4GB
A1297: Macbook Pro 17"
A1301: Airport Extreme 802.11n Dual Band
A1302: Time Capsule 1TB
A1303: iPhone 3GS
A1304: MacBook Air 13.3" 1.6GHz 2GB 120GB



Special iPhone Models

Many prototype iPhone models exist before they are released to the public. These iPhones incorporate next-generation technology to see if they are viable, and they give software creators something to program on to meet the public release date. They are mostly manufactured in China, and lost or leaked iPhone prototype models will sometimes make the news.

Early iPhone Models

Before the consumer iPhone was released, earlier models existed. These models were made for developers and also to test if the system was viable.

Future iPhone Models

Every once and a while, new iPhone models are released by Apple. If you wish to know ahead of time what the new models are, you can visit:
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm

Enter for Grantee Code: BCG
Enter for Product Code: A



iPhone Audio


Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
Audio formats supported: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV

For audio codec, the iPhone 3G incorporates the Wolfson WM6180C chipset.



iPhone Video


In addition to the ability to play back video, the iPhone also supports capturing photos and videos. The iPhone 3G has a 2 MegaPixel camera (1600x1200 pictures), while the iPhone 3GS has a 3 MegaPixel camera (2048x1536 pictures).

Apple provides video recording only on the iPhone 3GS, but the iPhone 3G, with appropriate software, can also record video.

The videos are recorded at a lower resolution than the pictures. The following is a chart summarizing the iPhone 3GS video recording capabilities.

FormatFeaturesAudioContainers
H.264640x480, 1.5Mbps, 30 frames/secH.264 Baseline Profile (with AAC-LC audio) 160Kbps, 48kHz, stereo.m4v, .mp4, .mov
H.264640x480, 2.5Mbps, 30 frames/secH.264 Baseline Profile (up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio) 160Kbps, 48kHz, stereo.m4v, .mp4, .mov
MPEG-4640x480, 2.5Mbps, 30 frames/secH.264 Simple Profile (with AAC-LC audio) 160Kbps, 48kHz, stereo.m4v, .mp4, .mov


iPhone Resolution


480x320 pixels on a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). 163ppi (pixels per inch). The screen is a capacitive touchscreen. It is speculated (but not confirmed) that the iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch "2G" can output 1280x720p to an external display, while earlier models can output SDTV resolutions of 480p (NTSC) or 576p (PAL).

This is one of the weaknesses of the iPhone, having such low resolution when a lot of manufacturers are aiming for 1920x1080p. But in comparison with the aging PSP, it actually has 48 extra horizonal lines (PSP has a 480x272 LCD display).

The screen can accept capacitive touch input. Note that this is different from regular resistive touch that sense pressure. Capacitive touch detects electricity generated from you fingers. Note that the hardware can only detect a maximum of 5 touches at the same time.

iPhone Color Space


The iphone supports regular sRGB color space.

iPhone Color depth

The number of bits used on the iPhone to display a single pixel of color is 18 bits, with 6 bits used for each of the Red, Green, and Blue primary colors. 18 bits can provide a maximum of 262,144 colors (2^18).

Note that the standard on PC displays is True Color, using 8 bits for each of the primary colors, for a total of 24 bits per pixel. 24 bits can provide a maximum of 16,777,216 colors (2^24). The iPhone is outclassed by other mobile devices like the PlayStation Portable (PSP), which does use a 24 bit LCD display. The iPhone is using very cheap LCD solutions to keep costs down.





iPhone Hardware

iPhone Motherboard

The iPhone motherboard with each revision tries to incorporate more and more functions into fewer and fewer chips.

Main System Memory

The iPod Touch "1G"/"2G" and iPhone "2G"/3G have 128MB of main working memory (RAM). The iPod Touch "3G" and iPhone 3GS have 256MB of RAM.

ARM CPU

The iPhone and iPod Touch uses the ARM CPU architecture, mainly using Samsung as manufacturer of choice. The iPod Touch "1G" and iPhone "2G"/3G uses the Samsung ARM 1176JZ(F)-S down-clocked to 412MHz. For the iPhone Touch 2G a ARM11 clocked at 533MHz and a ARM7 is used. The iPod Touch "3G" and iPhone 3GS use a similar Samsung manufactured Cortex-A8 is down-clocked to 600MHz. The ARM 7 is for Java hardware accelleration (Jazelle), but Java is not supported, so it is not utilized.



PowerVR GPU

The PowerVR is a graphical processor unit (GPU). The iPhone "2G"/3G have the less capable PowerVR MBX-Lite graphics chip. The iPhone 3GS has the more powerful PowerVR SGX. The main difference is the faster speed and support of OpenGL ES 2.0 in the PowerVR SGX. It is speculated that the iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch "3G" contain SGX 535 variation (supporting maximum 28 million triangles per second).



Note that the GPU clock speed affects overall performance.

The iPhone "2G"/3G GPU has 103 MHz clock speed.
The iPhone 3GS GPU has a 150 MHz clock speed.

The iPod Touch "2G" GPU has 133 MHz clock speed.

For example, on a 200MHz clock speed, the PowerVR SGX 520 can only do 7M triangles/sec and 250M pixels/sec. At 100MHz bus speed, it can only do half as much (3.5M triangles and 125M pixels respectively)

Storage Flash Memory


The iPod Touch and iPhones mainly contains from 4GB to 64GB of NAND flash storage memory. The iPod Touch "3G" has a 64GB model. Before there was flash memory, computers usually used a floppy disk or harddrive. In small devices, it is more feasible to simply store data in non-volatile flash memory. The iPhone 3GS contains Toshiba flash memory chips.

Note that this is the same type of flash memory found in flash memory cards like SanDisk, Memory Stick, and CompactFlash. It is unfortunate that Apple decided to leave out a flash memory card slot and force users to choose iPhone models based on fixed amount of non-removeable flash memory.

Firmware Flash Memory

In addition to regular storage flash memory, the iPhone also has additional NOR flash memory to store bootup code (similar to BIOS in PC). This data usually holds the minimum operating system for booting up the device. After booting up it lets other instructions stored in the storage flash memory to take over.

The original iPhone "2G" has 4MB of NOR flash and some DDR memory.
The iPhone 3G has 16MB of NOR flash (with 8MB of DDR RAM built in).
The iPhone 3GS has 16MB of NOR flash (with 64MB of DDR RAM built in).


iPhone Firmware versions

The iPhone firmware is updated frequently. The following is a brief description of each version.
FirmwareBuildiPhoneiPod touch
1.01A420iPhone "2G"
1.0.01C25iPhone "2G"
1.0.11C28iPhone "2G"
1.1.03A100aiPod Touch "1G"
1.1.03A101aiPod Touch "1G"
1.0.23A109aiPhone "2G"
1.1.13A110aiPod Touch "1G"
1.1.13B48aiPhone "2G"
1.1.23B48biPhone "2G"iPod Touch "1G"
1.1.34A93iPhone "2G"iPod Touch "1G"
1.1.44A102iPhone "2G"iPod Touch "1G"
1.1.54B1iPod Touch "1G"
2.05A345iPhone 3G
2.05A347iPhone "2G"/3GiPod Touch "1G"
2.0.15B108iPhone "2G"/3GiPod Touch "1G"
2.0.25C1iPhone "2G"/3GiPod Touch "1G"
2.15F136iPhone "2G"/3G
2.15F137iPod Touch "1G"
2.1.15F138iPod Touch "2G"
2.25G77iPhone "2G"/3GiPod Touch "1G"
2.25G77aiPod Touch "2G"
2.2.15H11iPhone "2G"/3GiPod Touch "1G"
2.2.15H11aiPod Touch "2G"
3.07A341iPhone "2G"/3G/3GSiPod Touch "1G"/"2G"
3.0.17A400iPhone "2G"/3G/3GS
3.17C144iPhone "2G"/3G/3GS
3.1.17C145iPod Touch "1G"/"2G"/"3G"
3.1.27D11iPhone "2G"/3G/3GSiPod Touch "1G"/"2G"/"3G"



iPhone Battery

iPhone 3GS: 1219mAh 3.7V Battery
iPhone 3G: 1146mAh 3.7V Battery
iPhone "2G": 1400mAh 3.7V Battery


The battery life varies depending on what you are using the iPhone for, and the older the battery the shorter the life. Here is a typical breakdown of the battery life of an iPhone 3GS (using a fairly new battery). Once depleted, an typical recharge of an iPhone 3GS battery takes about 3.5 hours.

Note that the iPhone battery's connection in the original iPhone "2G" and iPhone 3G were soldered on, and you could not remove the batteries easily. This has changed in the iPhone 3GS, allowing easy removal without melting the solder. Because lithium ion batteries degrade with use, after two or more years of heavy use, your iPhone will need battery replacement (unless you enjoy recharging after every 30 minutes of talk time). However, removal of the battery is extremely difficult even in the 3GS, requiring special tools. Unlike all other major cell phones, the iPhone doesn't have a dedicated battery cover you can easily remove. This is another major poor design (in addition to the missing flash memory card slot) in the iPhone.

Accelerometer


The iPhone "2G"/3G/3GS all contain a 3-axis accelerometer from STMicroelectronics, which detects rotation and orientation. Note that with this chip alone you are only able to tell your position in 3D in relation to gravity. Gravity can't tell you information on direction your iPhone is pointing if resting on a table.

Magnetometer

The iPhone 3GS also contains a 3-axis electronic compass from an AKM chip (Asahi Kasei AK8973), which allows detection of the direction of magnetic north. In companion with GPS data, it allows for hardware assisted turn-by-turn GPS.

Ambient Light Sensor

The iPhone and iPod Touch have an ambient light sensor near the top of of the device. This sensor detects the amount of light so it can adjust the brightness of the LCD to save battery life. If you are in a dark room, the LCD will lower in brightness automatically.

Proximity Sensor

All iPhones have a proximity sensor near the top left of the device. It detects when your face is close to the phone so that the screen can by powered off to save battery life. Sometimes you may use the iPhone at night, so you can't just use the Ambient Light Sensor to detect if your face is next to the phone (having covered all the lights).


iPhone Peripherals

Many iPhone and iPod Touch specific peripherals exist. The following is a listing of them from Apple.

Model NumberNameDescription
A1205iPod USB Charger AdapterAllows charging your iPod using a USB cable.
A1221iPhone Bluetooth headsetAllows wireless speaking and listening of your iPhone.
A1232USB Adapter 5V Cable (iPhone iPod)Power adapter fo your iPhone and iPod.
A1234Dual Dock ChargerAllows charging both the iPhone and the Bluetooth headset at the same time.
A1255Wireless Bluetooth keyboardAllows you to use a full wireless keyboard via Bluetooth.
A1256iPhone Universal Dock with RemoteAllows you to dock the iPhone and control it via remote control.
A1258iPod AV+USB CableConnect your iPod to audio and video devices (TV).
A1259Apple AV Component USB CableConnect your iPhone or iPod Touch to audio and video devices (TV). Output limited to 480p (NTSC) or 576p (PAL).
A1265USB Power Adapter (iPhone iPod)Power adapter for both iPhone and iPod.


Others Peripherals

The iPhone and iPod Touch can support Bluetooth peripherals, so there is an unlimited list of future peripherals that can be connected. Note that, unfortunately, at this time Bluetooth keyboard and mice profiles are not included, so these type of devices are not compatible.


iPhone Security


The iPhone has its own terminology for many things related to its security.

Jailbreak: Hacking the iPhone to allow installation of homebrew programs
Unlock: Hacking the iPhone to allow useage of GSM SIM cards from different network carriers.

Note that some iPhones are sold unlocked (the ones from Hong Kong for example).

Bootup process

Stage 1: Secure Bootloader
Stage 2: LLB (Low Level Bootloader)
Stage 3: iBoot

Encryption Keys

The iPhone uses two types of 128-bit AES keys. The first type is a group key that is the same for a group of devices (like the iPhone and iPod Touch). The second type is a user key that is unique for each device.

Filesystem Layout


The following is the directory structure of a typical iPhone 3GS that has been jailbroken with homebrew installed. These files are stored on the flash storage memory.



iPhone Networking


Network TypeNetwork TechnologyFrequencySupported Systems
Cellular 1GAMPS (800 MHz).8 GHz
Cellular 2GcdmaOne (450, 800, 1900 MHz).45 GHz, .8 GHz, 1.9 GHz
Cellular 2GGSM/GPRS/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz).85GHz, .9 GHz, 1.8 GHz, 1.9 GHziPhone "2G"/3G/3GS
Cellular 3GUMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz).85 GHz, 1.9 GHz, 2.1 GHziPhone 3G/3GS
Wireless LANWi-Fi 802.11a5.8 GHz
Wireless LANWi-Fi 802.11b/g2.45 GHziPhone "2G"/3G/3GS
Wireless LANWi-Fi 802.11n2.45 GHz, 5.8 GHz
Wireless PeripheralsBluetooth 2.0 + EDR2.45 - 2.4835 GHziPhone "2G"/3G
Wireless PeripheralsBluetooth 2.1 + EDR2.45 - 2.4835 GHziPhone 3GS
GPSGPS L1 (C/A-code)1.57542 GHziPhone 3G/3GS
GPSGPS L2 (P-code)1.22760 GHz, 1.57542 GHz

Pink entries indicate not supported by the iPhone (nor iPod Touch). Note that the cellphone frequency numerical name is actually the radio frequency used in MHz. UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 in MHz) is actually .85 GHz, 1.9 GHz, and 2.1GHz, respectively. GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz) is similarly .85GHz, .9GHz, 1.8GHz, and 1.9GHz, respectively. Wi-Fi uses 2.45GHz (and 5.8GHz if you consider 802.11a and 802.11n), while Bluetooth uses 2.45 - 2.4835 GHz. Therefore, the iPhone 3G and 3GS has at least 10 antennas inside to communicate in all those frequencies (3 for 3G, 4 for GSM, 1 for Wi-Fi, 1 for GPS, and 1 for Bluetooth). This is not including FM radio.

Cellular 1G

Cellular 1G (the first generation of cell technology) is based on AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System). It is an analog mobile phone technology that worked over the 800MHz Cellular FM band. AMPS is no longer in use and has been replaced by cellular 2G technology.

Cellular 2G

Cellular 2G (the second generation of cell technology) is usually based on GSM (Global System for Mobile communications). GSM uses TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access). A competing CDMA standard (cdmaOne) was created that uses Code Division Multiple Access, but this 2G standard was not very popular. GSM became popular in Europe, and from there spread widely throughout the world. When you talk on the cellphone, you are usually using GSM. It is fairly slow and rates about 9.6kbps. The first iPhone "2G" can only communicate using GSM, so it can be considered a 2G cellphone. When you browse the web using this iPhone, you are usually using one of the two data technologies built on top of GSM (GPRS and EDGE):

GPRS

GPRS stands for General Radio Packet Standard. GPRS provides uploading and downloading data at a very slow rate of 20-80kbps depending on the implementation. This is the default technology used when connecting to the internet on the iPhone.

EDGE

EDGE stands for Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution. Another name for this technology is EGPRS (Enhanced GPRS). EDGE basically enhances GPRS so it reaches faster data upload and download speeds of 59.2-236.8kbps depending on the implementation. You should see an "E" symbol in the top left hand corner of the iPhone screen if you are using EDGE.

Cellular 3G

Cellular 3G (the third generation of cell technology) has many competing standards. In actual use, there are three standards used in the world:

All three are not compatible with each other. CDMA2000 1xRTT evolved from cdmaOne to better compete with GSM, and it can actually be described as 2.5G (maximum speed of 144kbps), although a more recent enhanced version called CDMA2000 1xEV-DO is actually 3G (max 3.1Mbps). W-CDMA was created to replace GSM and it is commonly called UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System) in Europe. W-CDMA can currently go up to 14.4Mbps. TD-SCDMA is a China invented 3G standard (it actually co-exists there with both CDMA-2000 and W-CDMA).

The iPhone elected to use W-CDMA as their 3G technology. Therefore, you should see the "3G" letters in the top left hand corner of your iPhone 3G or 3GS when you are using W-CDMA. If this is not shown, you are using regular 2G GSM (and GPRS if connected to the internet).

The iPhone 3G uses Infineon chipsets for W-CDMA 3G communication. In the United States, there are less .85 GHz (850 MHz) towers than 1.9 GHz (1900 MHz) towers. Lower frequency (.85 GHz) signals better penetrates thick walls compared to higher frequency signals. The iPhone 3G and 3GS have a plastic back instead of aluminum (compared to the original iPhone "2G") to improve 3G reception.

The iPhone 3G/3GS uses the Infineon X-Gold 608 - PMB 8878 baseband IC. Among its features include:

The iPhone 3G/3GS therefore provides 384kbps for regular W-CDMA 3G connections (upload and download speed). However, some cellphone networks provide W-CDMA enhancement technologies:

HSDPA

HSDPA stands for High Speed Download Packet Access, and provides higher download speed than standard W-CDMA. Depending on cell network implementation, download speed increments include 1.2Mbps, 1.8Mbps, 3.6Mbps, 7.2Mbps, 10.1Mbps, and 14.4Mbps. The iPhone 3G supports only HSDPA 3.6Mbps, while the iPhone 3GS supports HSDPA 7.2Mbps. Note that although the iPhone 3GS supports HSDPA of 7.2Mbps the chip bus only supports 5Mbps.

HSUPA

HSUPA stands for High Speed Upload Packet Access, and provides higher upload speed than provided by standard W-CDMA (384kbps). The iPhone 3G/3GS do not support this feature.

Wi-Fi

Marvell was the Wi-Fi chipset used in the iPhone "2G"/3G. For the iPhone 3GS, the Broadcom BCM4325 chipset was used, supporting 802.11 b/g. Note that although this chip also supports FM radio, this feature does not seem to be useable in the iPhone 3GS at this time. In addition, even though the chip supports 802.11a or 802.11n, the iPhone and iPod Touch does not use them (sticking to the 2.45 GHz of 802.11b/g).

The iPhone "2G"/3G uses a Marvell chip, which has 802.11 b/g capability.
The iPod Touch "2G" and iPhone 3GS uses the Broadcom BCM4325 chip, which has 802.11 a/b/g capability.
The iPod Touch "3G" uses the Broadcom BCM4329 chip, which has 802.11 a/b/g/n capability.


Bluetooth

The first iPhone "2G" supports regular Bluetooth 2.0 only.
The iPhone 3G supports Bluetooth 2.0.
The iPod Touch "2G" and iPhone 3GS supports Bluetooth 2.1.

All the iPhone models support Class 2 Bluetooth 2.0 or 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate). Class 2 has a maximum range of 10 meters. The EDR allows a faster data rate of 3Mbit/s as opposed to the original Bluetooth 1.2 speed of 1Mbit/s. Bluetooth transmits and receives data in the 2.4 - 2.4835 GHz microwave radio frequency spectrum. This frequency is similar to microwave ovens (2.45GHz) and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g (2.45 GHz).

The Bluetooth in the iPod Touch "2G" and iPhone 3GS is inside the Broadcom BCM4325 chip.
The Bluetooth in the iPod Touch "3G" is inside the Broadcom BCM4329 chip.
The Bluetooth in the iPhone 3G is inside the Marvell 88W8686 chip.


Bluetooth Profiles in iPhone

Bluetooth Profiles basically define what Bluetooth devices can connect to a device using Bluetooth. Many profiles can be added or removed via software, but some have hardware dependencies the prevent easy addition. Unfortunately, Apple decided to only support a small subset of available Bluetooth Profiles. Here are the supported Bluetooth Profiles (as of 3.1 version of the firmware).
NameBluetooth ProfileiPhone ModelsiPod Touch Models
HFP (1.5)Hands-Free ProfileiPhone "2G"/3G/3GS
PBAPPhone Book Access ProfileiPhone "2G"/3G/3GS
A2DPAdvanced Audio Distribution ProfileiPhone 3G/3GSiPod Touch "2G"/"3G"
AVRCPAudio/Video Remote Control ProfileiPhone 3G/3GSiPod Touch "2G"/"3G"
PANPersonal Area Network ProfileiPhone 3G/3GSiPod Touch "2G"/"3G"
HIDHuman Interface Device

Pink entries are important Bluetooth Profiles NOT supported. HID allows keyboard, mouse, and joystick support. You are not able to connect any bluetooth keyboards, mouse, nor joystick to the iPhone because of the lack of HID Bluetooth Profile.

A2DP stands for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, and the main advantage it provides is the ability to stream stereo (2-channel) audio wirelessly to your Bluetooth headset.

AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile) Bluetooth Profile on the iPhone 3G/3GS is not complete, only allowing basic Play, Stop, and Pause.

A-GPS

The iPhone 3G/3GS have assisted GPS (A-GPS) using the Infineon PMB 2525 (Hammerhead II) chipset. A-GPS means that there are many ways to obtain your location besides reading the multiple GPS geosynchronous satellites signals broadcasted in 1.57542 GHz. When you turn ON the option Settings -> General -> "Location Services", there are three major ways the iPhone gets your location: Satellite GPS, Cell Tower Triangulation, and WPS. If Location Service is in effect, your Google Maps app will have a blue dot indicating your location (which turns grey if all three types of location signals are lost)

Satellite GPS

In regular GPS (unencrypted civilian L1 1.57542 GHz signal), reading and calculating your location takes time (getting good data lock on a minimum of 3 satellites and calculating your position takes about two minutes and can last up to five minutes for all satellites). The iPhone reads the C/A-code (Coarse Acquisition) GPS data from the satellites to get your position. Note that the iPhone can not read nor use the more accurate encrypted P-code (Precise) GPS data broadcasted on L1 (1.57542 GHz) and L2 (1.22760 GHz). You normally must have a clear view of the sky to get the satellite signal (sometimes the satellites are in the sky on the horizon, sometimes above you).

GPS in Google Maps

Whenever you are using satellite GPS, there is an animated blue outline of a circle that grows bigger and bigger until it disappears and starts small again from the blue dot.

To ensure you are using satellite GPS, you can take out your SIM card (turn off 3G as well), turn off Wi-Fi, and turn on Location Services. Then turn off and on your iPhone, and go into Google Maps app. It should complain with a popup after a while. Close the popup and hit the bottom left location button, and it should start spinning. After about two minutes you should get your first satellite signal, and you should see a blue dot, a transparent greyish circle covering the map, and an animated blue circle outline. About every 100 seconds after, you should pickup more satellite data, which will make the transparent circle smaller. If you lose a satellite, it should make the circle bigger. The smallest can probably circle a tiny house. On average, it can circle an apartment complex.

Note that for this example, since you don't have any cell signals or Wi-Fi at this point, you can't download map data. So to test satellite GPS, you should use a cache of the map data already downloaded for the area you are trying out, which requires that you pan around many city blocks on all the different zoom levels before turning off Wi-Fi (and/or removing your SIM card).

Cell Tower Triangulation

The iPhone also supports Cell tower triangulation assisted positioning. All cell tower locations are known precisely, so if your iPhone is communicating with one (in either GSM or 3G), you can pinpoint your location to roughly 1500 meters. Normally, you can detect 2, 3, or more towers, which you can use triangulation to pinpoint your position fairly quickly (fixed towers don't move around, so first rough location can be gotten and calculated in 10 seconds or less). Most assisted GPS use data from cell tower locations. This calculated data is most times less precise than waiting for satellite data.

Cell Triangulation in Google Maps

To test out cell tower triangulation in Google Maps app, simply turn off Wi-Fi (and 3G, as GSM works fine) and stay indoors (roof over your head) away from all windows. Make sure Location Services is ON. Turn off and on your iPhone and go into Google Map apps. You should get a blue dot in less than 20 seconds with a transparent grey circle covering about a city block (can fit about 30 apartment complexes inside the circle). It is usually not very accurate with your location. The circle can move around (sometimes long distances two miles away, so zoom out) and grow bigger or smaller depending on which cell towers are picked up by your iPhone. On worse cases, with only one cell tower, you may end up with a huge circle covering a whole town (especially deep inside thick walls). Once you move outside with a clear view of the sky, the animated blue circle outline should show up about two minutes later when satellite GPS is picked up (making your transparent circle small again). Note that the positioning of the GPS alone is different from GPS + GSM tower triangulation (but not by much).

WPS

If you are using a Wi-Fi access point, the iPhone can get your general position by getting the location of the actual Wi-Fi hotspot. The technology used here is called Wi-Fi Positioning System. It is basically a database (owned by Skyhooks company) that stores the MAC of the Wi-Fi access point you are connected to and links this MAC to a location. The location is actually entered by Skyhook company's cars going around all the roads searching for Wi-Fi signals. People can also input their Wi-Fi access point's location using the company website. Most Wi-Fi signals only work within 20 meters (with walls) to 200 meters (no obstacles), so your positioning is not too bad (but also dependent on whether the location was entered into the database correctly). The location can be wrong if the Wi-Fi equipment was moved from one area to another without updating the Skyhook database.

WPS in Google Maps

To test out WPS, simply remove your SIM card (and turn off 3G), turn on Wi-Fi and Location Services. Find an access point, and connect to it. Go into Google Maps app. Note that because the database is not updated frequently, and sometimes errors on wrong user input, wrongful results often (especially if the access point was recently moved from another location).

FM Receiver

The iPod Touch "2G"/"3G" and iPhone 3G/3GS have a built-in FM Receiver chip, so technically it is possible for these devices to listen to FM radio. Unfortunately, Apple wants buyers to purchase songs from iTunes, and if you were allowed to listen to free music off of the air, they would not make as much of a profit. Therefore, at this moment, there is no official FM radio application. It is possible to create a homebrew one, but a fully documented working FM receiver driver would be needed to control channel changing and the like.

The FM receiver in the iPod Touch "2G" and iPhone 3GS is inside the Broadcom BCM4325 chip.
The FM receiver in the iPod Touch "3G" is inside the Broadcom BCM4329 chip.

Nike+

Nike and Apple partnered to provide a way for the iPhone or iPod Touch to track your workouts. It requires extra hardware to function, namely a sensor that you place inside your shoe. This sensor has an accelerometer inside to track the up and down movements of your feet. The sensor transmits a special signal for your iPod Touch or iPhone to read. The iPod Touch "2G"/"3G", and the iPhone 3GS can read this special signal using its built-in receiver chips. iPod Touch "1G" and iPhone "2G"/3G lack this ability and do not work with Nike+. Note that although Nike+ works for the iPod Nano, they require a special receiver peripheral plugged into the bottom. At this moment it is speculated that the custom signal transmitted by the sensor is on the same frequency as Bluetooth (close to 2.4GHz), but it may also be possible that the undocumented FM receiver chip is picking up the signal. If that is the case, perhaps the iPhone 3G can also use Nike+ in the future, as it also has a FM receiver chip inside.

iPhone Radiation

All cellphones, in order to communicate with cell towers, must transmit a very powerful radio frequency (RF). Because the cell towers on average can cover thousands of meters, the cellphone must be able to transmit back the same distance. In comparison with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi that cover short distances (average 10 meters and 100 meters, respectively), a cellphone needs more power output to reach long distance towers. The FCC (Federal Communication Commission) sets a limit of 1.6 watts per kilogram of SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) for cellphone radiation. Your cellphone must not expose you beyond this limit. Here is the span of radiation for the different iPhones (includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.)

The iPhone "2G" has a SAR of .973 W/kg.
The iPhone 3G has a SAR of 0.24-1.39 W/kg.
The iPhone 3GS has a SAR of 0.52-1.19 W/kg.

Here is a breakdown of two cellular 3G bands (1850 MHz and 1900 MHz) and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth radiation affecting the head and body:
iPhone Model824-849MHz Head824-849MHz Body1850-1910MHz Head1850-1910MHz Body2400-2483.5MHz Head2400-2483.5MHz Body
iPhone 3G0.506 W/kg1.03 W/kg1.38 W/kg0.521 W/kg0.779 W/kg0.088 W/kg
iPhone 3GS0.57 W/kg0.67 W/kg1.19 W/kg0.33 W/kg0.52 W/kg0.06 W/kg

Note that using the 850 MHz band of cellular 3G gives you half as much radiation as the 1900 MHz band. Also note that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth using lower power has less radiation than the 1900 MHz band. This indicates that low-power and low-frequency technology produces less radiation.

It is unfortunate that in order to communicate, the iPhone must be placed next to your ear (right next to your brain). For those who use laptops, it is also unfortunate that your lap is right next to your genitals (serious problem for those who tether a cellphone or use wi-fi). These two places happen to be delicate areas where exposure to radiation can get you brain cancer and genetic mutations of offsprings.

Although lower in power, your proximity to a device constantly emitting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (in order to keep a connection) is not too good for your body either. It also happens that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi transmits on the same radio frequency as microwave ovens (2.45 GHz). Microwave ovens basically works by causing water molecules to vibrate, and too much vibration of unknown molecules in our brain can cause certain important cells to become cancerous, or cause mutations in the DNA structure of our sperm or ovary. So next time you talk for too long on the iPhone remember you are vibrating unknown molecules in your brain for the duration of your call.

One trend happening nowadays is to have fewer and fewer powerful towers, and merging the technology into a super tower (like WiMAX), which can cover many miles. The radiation levels to send a signal back to a tower many miles away would probably cause major health problems for many people, especially if everyone carried a device. Similarly, a satellite phone is out of the question because it requires a lot of power to send a signal to an orbiting satellite.


Linux on iPhone

One of the most interesting things about the iPhone is that it allows you to install a separate operating system on the internal flash. In fact, the Cydia application (after Jailbreaking your phone) basically installs many popular Linux (or Unix) applications and libraries.

Programming on the iPhone


Programming on the iPhone is possible by using the official and unofficial tools available from Apple and the internet respectively.

Programming on the iPhone using the official Apple iPhone SDK

In order to make programs on the iPhone "officially" you need to purchase an Apple computer and download the iPhone SDK that only runs on Mac computers. There are yearly costs to be registered to develop on the platform, and you must be familiar with Objective-C and various the OS X specific APIs. After making your program you submit it for approval and if accepted, it gets placed in the online AppStore.

Programming on the iPhone using a Toolchain

Before the official iPhone SDK was released, an unofficial "Toolchain" was released by a community of iPhone enthusiasts that allowed you to use C language. A toolchain is collection of tools (offen free open source ones) that allows anyone to create software targeted for a given platform (like the iPhone). These Toolchains usually run on Linux on a desktop computer or notebook. Public released toolchains exist for compiling programs for older versions of the iPhone OS (version 2.x), and the latest toolchains that support version 3.x require some manual tinkering. Unlike the PSP, the developers of the iPhone toolchain seem to keep the latest easy to install versions out of the public for personal control and benefit (which holds back many homebrew developers from releasing apps running on current jailbroken iPhone firmware).

One of the benefits of having a mobile phone with a powerful processor is the ability to use it as a replacement for the desktop personal computer. However, there is one ability that a mobile device must be able to achieve in order to be self-sufficient, and that is the ability to create and compile programs for itself without dependent on another machine. This is not yet possible with the iPhone, as not all the tools have been ported to run on the iPhone's ARM processor.

Unofficial iPhone features

Because of the unofficial toolchain, many people have been able to add features to the iPhone that normally would not be permissible by Apple. Here are some applications that extend the iPhone that make it more useful...


Note that SBSettings can be used simultaneously when running any standard iPhone app (which normally shows the "time and battery bar" when running). The only standard iPhone app that you cannot use with SBSettings is when you are using the camera. Even custom apps will work with SBSettings if they show the "time and battery bar" (like Cydia).

Common iPhone Problems

Although the iPhone is heading in the right direction, there are still a few things that are problematic with the device. One of the main complaints has to do with its proprietary connector (the opening on the bottom of the iPhone). Because the tiny pins are so close to each other, if you were to disconnect the connection from the iPhone side (by wiggling and pulling), you may end up causing an electrical short on the USB side connected to your PC or notebook computer. This is because during the wiggling and pulling, many pins end up touching pins it is not supposed to connect to. Because of this, you should always connect and disconnect the connector to the iPhone while the other end (USB for example) is NOT connected to anything. Always connect the connector to the iPhone first, or disconnect the connector to the iPhone last.

Another problem is the proprietary iPhone connector's communication protocol with USB. In some cases during firmware restore, the software on the PC side is waiting in an infinite loop for a signal from the iPhone side, but the iPhone either already gave it or did not give it. Thus a lot of problems occur during sync processing, and it usually shows up during firmware restore. Many times the only solution is to manually force a process to end (like iTunes) on the PC and restart it so it can re-probe the iPhone's current state.


The Future

The iPhone is picking up the pieces where the PSP and the PS3 have neglected to implement. The ultimate full-featured mobile device where you can take it on the go and plug into a HDTV when at home is coming to fruition. Although the iPhone concentrates more on the cellphone and computer-like capabilities of installing unlimited software, it lacks the high-definition output of the PS3 (no HDTV, except maybe 720P on the iPod Touch "3G" and iPhone 3GS), and has worse graphics than the PSP for a mobile device. Since the iPhone LCD screen is not even 1920x1080p, nor has 1080p HDTV output (nor 1080p HD projection glasses output) already renders it yesterday's technology. It doesn't even have a 24 bit True Color LCD display, using cheaper 18 bit LCD displays that displays significantly fewer colors. It also is hampered by profit motives: lack of AM/FM/TV over-the-air reception and no flash memory card slot (unlike on the PSP). In addition, Apple decided to drop support for useful Bluetooth peripherals by not including HID (Human Interface Device) Bluetooth Profile. In other words, you can't use Bluetooth keyboards, mouse, and joysticks with the iPhone, and this fact turns the touch screen into a liability because certain applications don't work well with just the touch screen (like games and fast typing programs).

Some forward looking features would have been nice on the iPhone, like remote battery charging without wires, 3 more axis of accelerometer (include translational movement detection like on the PS3 DualShock 3, not only rotational), HD projection glasses output (to get HDTV right in front of your eyes), rotational camera (so you can have video conference calls like on the PSP), and lastly a fixed ip solution so you can host webservers and other content right on your phone (not to mention cheaper 3G or 4G pricing). One optional nice feature would be infra-red to control those garage door openers, televisions, car doors, and the like.

So can the iPhone be the ultimate device of the future? Perhaps, but the above things would need to be addressed to meet the demands of future technology aware consumers. Perhaps the future iPhone will use HSPA+ for faster 3G, or iPhone 4G using LTE (Long Term Evolution) for 4G speeds, but the concern of RF radiation may affect future directions of wireless technology. Perhaps more numerous lower power (and lower frequency) transmitters rather than a few powerful cell towers (similar to the high radiation WiMAX towers that can cover many miles) will be more healthier. Using VoIP over extremely low-power low-frequency technology (FM?) is a possibility. Maybe the future cellphones (iPhone 5G or iPhone 6G?) will allow each connected phone to help transmit data for other phones, since almost everyone will be carrying one anyways (second-hand radiation will probably be as important as second-hand smoke). Underlying technology used by TOR would come in handy in these types of dynamic nodes.


Super Secrets


The following requires the device to be off...

Press Power button for 3 seconds: Turn on device.

The following requires the device to be on...

Press Power button: Put device into sleep mode immediately.

Press Home button: Go to search panel.

Press Home button twice quickly: Access iPod controls.

Press and hold any icon for 3 seconds: Moving Springboard icons mode (Home button to exit)

Press and hold Home button for 4 seconds: Initiate Voice Control.

Press and hold Power button for 4 seconds: Access slider to turn off device

Press and hold Power button for 4 seconds: Do not move slider to turn off device. Release Power button, then press and hold Home button for 6 seconds to force kill current running application.

Press both Power and Home buttons and release immediately: Snap photo of current LCD screen and put into photo collection.

Hold down both Power and Home buttons for 10 seconds: Hard Reset (Apple logo appears)

The following requires the device to be on and in sleep mode...

Press Power button: Access slider to exit sleep mode.

Press Home button: Access slider to exit sleep mode.

Recovery Mode

You can force your device into a special Recovery Mode. In this mode, the iBoot is running on your device. You need a USB cable connected to your iPhone for this mode to be activated.

Turn off your iPhone. While holding Home button down, connect the USB cable to a computer. Keep holding the Home button until you see an image of a USB cable and iTunes logo on your iPhone. Just run iTunes to reflash your firmware at this stage.

If you wish to exit this mode without reflashing, simply disconnect the USB cable and hold Power down for 6 seconds, which will power off your iPhone. Turn on your device again, and it should be back to normal.

DFU Mode

You can force your device into a special "DFU" mode (Device Firmware Upgrade). In this mode, the iBoot is not running on your device. You need a USB cable connected to your iPhone for this mode to be activated.

Connect the USB cable to a computer. Press and hold both Power and Home button for 8 seconds. The LCD screen should go blank. Keep holding both down for 2 more seconds and then release Power button only, but keep holding down Home button for about 10 more seconds. Your iPhone is now in DFU mode with screen still blank. Note that if at any time during this process you see an Apple logo on the screen, then you have done it wrong. You can now use iTunes to flash new firmware without iBoot running. To confirm you are in DFU mode, you can disconnect the cable and try to power on the iPhone (it should be unresponsive).

To exit DFU mode without reflashing, disconnect the cable and hold both Power and Home button for 10 seconds. Turn on your device again, and it should be back to normal.

Undo Typing

To quickly undo typing recently done, just shake the iPhone. A pop-up will ask you if you want to do the undo feature.

Special Dialing Codes

On the iPhone you can enter special phone numbers to access special features or information. These numbers (or codes) work on most GSM capable phones, and the iPhone is no exception. You must tap dial after each number (unless specified differently in the description).

Dialing CodeDescription
*3001#12345#*Mode: Field Test

You will then be taken to a page providing many current information detailing your cell connection. Note that when you are in this mode, the signal strength bar on the top-left corner becomes a negative number. The closer this number is to 0, the stronger the cell signal (or the closer you are to a tower). The Field Test entries under categories on this page are:
  • MM Info
  • UMTS Cell Environment
  • PDP Context List
  • GSM Cell Environment

UMTS Cell Environment and GSM Cell Environment provides good information on your 3G and 2G connection, respectively. For example, under "GSM Cell Environment" -> "GSM Cell Info" -> "Neighboring Cells" you can see how many cell towers or relays are visible to your iPhone.
*#06#Mode: IMEI

When you enter this number (no need to touch dial afterwards), you should be presented with your 15 digit IMEI number. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is a unique identification number for every cellphone (including the iPhone). Many cell networks can ban stolen cellphones using this IMEI number (changing SIM cards have no effect on ban) by checking the EIR (Equipment Identity Register) database downloaded from a central server. Similarly, IMEI, in combination with a SIM card, provides an easy method to track the location of a person. Changing cellphone, you can be tracked by SIM card used. Changing SIM card, you can be tracked by cellphone used. Location can be narrowed down using IMEI triangulation of cell towers the cellphone is closest to. Note that this ability is similar to the assisted GPS feature of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, with the difference in that turning ON Location Services lets iPhone and its applications use this tracking info immediately (less than 10 seconds). Turning it OFF means this tracking info from the cell towers is simply not processed on the iPhone, but is available if needed. Unfortunately, changing IMEI number is illegal in many countries, but is possible on the original iPhone using homebrew software. It is unknown whether changing IMEI on the iPhone 3G/3GS using software is possible.
*#21#Mode: Call Forwarding

You will be presented with a list of call forwarding settings currently in effect.
*#30#Mode: Calling Line Presentation

You will be shown whether Calling Line Presentation is enabled. This is just another name for caller ID (displaying the number of the caller who called you).
*#33#Mode: Call Barring

You will be presented with a list of call barring settings currently in effect.
*#43#Mode: Call Waiting

You will be presented with a list of call waiting settings currently in effect.
*#61#Mode: Call Forwarding (Unanswered)

You will be presented with a list of call forwarding (when unanswered) settings currently in effect.
*#62#Mode: Call Forwarding (Unreachable)

You will be presented with a list of call forwarding (when unreachable) settings currently in effect.
*#67#Mode: Call Forwarding (Busy)

You will be presented with a list of call forwarding (when busy) settings currently in effect.
*#76#Mode: Connected Line Presentation

You will be shown whether Connected Line Presentation is enabled. If a number you called is actually forwarded to another number, this feature allows you to see the actual number you got forwarded to.


Feedback and Donation

Thank you for reading this webpage of secret iPhone information. You can help out contributing and supporting this page by doing the following:

Return to Technology Depot