The iPhone-Dev Team quietly released PwnageTool 2.0 over the weekend, allowing iPhone and iPhone 3G owners to hack, or “jailbreak,” their handhelds and load applications that aren’t available through Apple’s App Store.
The utility also lets first-generation iPhone owners unlock their device for use on unapproved cell carrier networks.
According to the group, Pwnage 2.0 will also jailbreak the iPod touch.
Jailbreaking was popular among iPhone power users before the launch of the App Store and its Apple-sanctioned third-party applications.
While some users speculated that hacks for unauthorized apps wouldn’t be necessary after the iTunes-based store opened, it appears that there is still interest in apps that fall outside of Apple’s approval circle.
Since jailbreaking is not an Apple sanctioned process, there is a chance that it could damage your handheld, and in some cases Apple may refuse to provide warranty coverage for jailbroken devices.