iPhone 3G unlocked in Brazil

The iPhone 3G only went on sale last week, but a Brazilian group already claims to have hacked the phone, allowing owners to use the device on any network.

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DesbloqueioBr is thought to be one of the first groups to have successfully unlocked the iPhone 3G. It has uploaded a video onto YouTube that supposedly shows one of its untethered 3G iPhones calling another iPhone.

The group’s unlocking method is thought to combine alteration of the phone’s firmware and a physical SIM attachment, much like Turbo SIM. This enables users to bypass the phone’s security and fool it into thinking that it’s connected to an approved carrier, giving a user complete access to all of the iPhone 3G’s features.

Apple hasn’t actually released the 3G model into Brazil yet and hasn’t confirmed plans to do so, but it’s been rumoured online that the phone will cost between $250 and $375 (£187/€236) when it eventually does.

While the hack, if real, will be good news for potential buyers of the must-have handset, it still doesn’t bypass one issue: cost. The phone’s pay-as-you-go pricing hasn’t yet been unveiled in the UK yet and O2’s not letting any handsets out of its sight without matching John Hancocks on contracts. DesbloqueioBr is also charging up to $375 to jailbreak an iPhone 3G.

So if you’re just itching to get the must have handset on, say, Vodafone, then DesbloqueioBr could be your answer. But if you can stand the pain a little longer, then hold out for updates from the likes of Zibri.