A new custom jailbreak targeted at older iOS devices provides access to iOS 5 features on devices that are otherwise incompatible with Apple’s latest mobile operating system.

Whited00r, free software that has been in development since mid-2010, installs a customized version of iOS 5.1 on the first generation iPhone, iPhone 3G, and the first and second generations of the iPod Touch. These “legacy” devices were officially left out of iOS 4 and 5 compatibility due to their relatively slow processing and graphical components and have been “stuck” at iOS 3.1.3. The customized Whited00r firmware, however, has been specially optimized to run on the older hardware and promises to bring the older devices up to date with only minor performance issues.

New features available to legacy iOS devices include multitasking, folders, reminders, video recording, Newsstand, and iCloud access. There is also an optional version of the firmware that will carrier unlock your iPhone. 

Because Whited00r is a jailbreak, users of the custom firmware won’t be able to access the official Apple App Store. However, as with most jailbreaks, the firmware includes access to the third-party unofficial Cydia app store. 

Installation is thankfully simple: head over to Whited00r’s website and choose the legacy device that you wish to upgrade (the site includes helpful images of the back of each device to help you determine which product you have in the event that you don’t know).

Whited00r is Compatible With These Legacy iOS Devices.

Once you’ve chosen your version of 5.1, download the directed file (a relatively large download of a few hundred megabytes) and unzip it to reveal the appropriate .ipsw firmware. Next, open iTunes and connect your iDevice. Once the device shows up in the iTunes sidebar, select it and choose “Restore” while holding down the Alt key (Shift key for Windows users). 

This will prompt you for the location of the .ipsw firmware file. Select the file you just downloaded and hit restore. The process will take a few minutes but, once complete, your legacy iOS device will be running the custom iOS 5.1 firmware, giving you access to most of the current features. 

It is important to note that, as with all jailbreaks, these steps are in no way supported by Apple and may be in violation of certain licensing agreements. It could even void your warranty. Any steps taken here are at the user’s own risk.