Breaking: Developer exploits hole in iPhone 2.2, Provides Emoji support outside of Japan. [Video] [FAQs] [Update]
If you were slightly disappointed when Apple introduced iPhone 2.2, giving exclusive Emoji-love to all those Japanese iPhone users, you may be in luck. A 99c/59p application has been discovered which when installed actually unlocks the Emoji keyboard on iPhone OS …
[Update] – I’ve just got word from Chris Pirillo, that the actual source of this great work around was in fact @iJustine!!
[Update] – Check out RazorianFly.com/Emoji for the latest FAQ’s on iPhone Emoji outside Japan.
[Update] – For people struggling with activating Emoji first time, apparently you have to find and touch an article in the RSS reader with a face at the end of it. While we’re at at, here is some Emoji:
  îŒ î€ î€‚    î”™   î”– î”— î”› î…’ îŽ î”œ .
Can’t see Emoji in Firefox? – http://is.gd/c3qb. No solution for Safari users just yet.
See it in Action on a UK iPhone 3G:
[Update] – It’s come to light that for your recipient to see your Emoji, they also must have enabled Emoji on their iPhone or iPod touch. (Credit – @IdaMom). Yes, people without Emoji enabled can see your Emoji.
Original Article:
Twitter user @Zyber17 @iJustine has discovered a hole in 2.2. Not just that, but an weirdly-named application (disguised as an RSS reader) on sale on the store for a measly 59p, actually harnesses the ability to unlock the Emoji keyboard within iPhone OS 2.2. Here’s what you do:
Buy and install THIS application, play with it for a few minutes, then quit it and navigate to: iPhone Settings > General > Keyboard > Japanese. You will now see an ‘On/Off’ option for Japanese Emoji!
What is Emoji?
“Emoji (絵文å—, Emoji?) is the Japanese name for the picture characters or emoticons used in Japanese wireless messages and web pages. Originally meaning pictograph, the word literally means e “picture” + moji “letter”. The characters are used much like emoticons elsewhere, but a wider range is provided, and the icons are standardized and built into the handsets.”
So far, no side-affects have been reported by installing the application and performing the hack, but as this will be seen as an exploit of iPhone OS 2.2 in Apple’s eyes, you could see the application pulled from the store, or worse – Apple may use the dreaded kill switch …
Basically, we advise you to pick up this app as quickly as physically possible,
if you want Emoji on your non-Japanese iPhone or iPod touch.
…and yes, the app is disguised as an RSS reader.
Reviewed at: v1.1.1
Reviewed on Firmware: 2.2
Download size: 0.1MB
Released on: 3rd Dec 2008
Retails for: 59p/$0.99
Compatible with: iPod touch Gen 1 & 2 / iPhone Classic / iPhone 3G
This entry was posted on Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 8:38 PM and is filed under App Store, iPhone, iPod. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Arron
Hi, I'm Arron. I'm 20 and I am currently working as a freelance graphic designer and blogger. While managing RazorianFly, I currently also write for AppBoy.com, have previously written for 148Apps.com and have been approached by many others. I've been into graphic design for about 7 years now, and now offer iPhone and iPad Interface Design to developers professionally. Along with James, I also co-founded our brilliant new shortening service, RFly.Me. I'm very much tuned into both the App Store and Apple in general. I like the design, presentation and clarity of a product. If it doesn't cut it I'll tell you straight. I'm on Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo and Facebook!
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Nice! Buying now!
Thanks!
@Zym,
Get “spell number.” it is free and enables emoji.
1. Download the app
2. Type in 9876543.21
3. Press the home button
4. Enable emoji normally
This does not work… Emoji isn’t even an option to enable.
@David, Nevemind… missed the open the application and play with it for a bit part… works great! Sweet find.
Are there any side effects?
@jimi, nope, not that Ive found. Im pretty sure all it does is unhides the emoji switch. î•
There are no known side effects. The app simply exploits an already existing hole in the iPhone 2.2 firmware, allowing the app to play outside it’s sandbox. Something which SDK-created apps are not meant to be able to do, according to Apple.
@Arron, I’ve bought it and it works, not noticed any side effects thanks for informing me about it
î—î—î—î—
Nah,
,
This isn’t something new. Since over a month there’s a package on Cydia (for jailbreakers) to enable this. First of all it’s much easier (just install, no playing around in the app) and finally it’s FREE.
So don’t waste money for sensless things like this, C’mon and jailbreak, all of the statements like “it’s not safe and it lets apps crash and make them run slower…” etc. are not true!
And even if you dont wan’t “hacker stuff” on your iDevice you can just install the Emoji hack and get rid of the other things the jailbreak brings with it.
So that’s my statement, hope I help a few people to buy something cool for their 0.99$ and don’t waste it
crapz1967
@crapz1967, We understand there is a jailbreak method, however even with the jailbreak methods as easy as they are, alot of people are still fearful of them. Fearful of what may happen to their very expensive phone, or whether they won’t have a very expensive iPod after it. It’s good to know there is now a ‘Apple-stock’ way to do it – even if this way turns out not to be approved by Apple themselves.
@crapz1967, I don’t want to sounds angry, but jailbreaking is simply dumb. I see it as a way for cheap people to get their apps and bonus features free of charge, and illegally. I know that there are other legal benefits to it such as WinterBoard, but I don’t like the idea when Apple has set up a perfectly fine, much more functional system with many forthcoming updates.
Just my two sense.
@James Foote, Jailbreaking is not JUST for cheap people to get free apps. It has themes, and other things that allow you to use your iPod to its full potential. Sure, it does allow people to use cracked apps, but it does more than that.
@James Foote, Well different opinions. I don’t use cracked apps and other illegal stuff, but even in the first point I kind of “need” the jailbreak: I have too many apps, so they wouldn’t fit on nine pages. Categories are really cool, no more swiping and swiping. Anyway I think jailbreaking is a good way making your device a little more unique and customized, because you have a few more possibilities.
But it’s the very own decision of every user. And although jailbreaking is not typing terminal commands etc., it still sometimes needs a bit of work manually.
Great. On Monday, everyone will want to know how I did that, and they’ll never figure it out.
Hey, wait a sec! Is this really a mistake of Apple? I just found an app called “Touch Dail Emoji” (App Store) and it even advertises with “activating systemwide emoji for users without a jailbreak”. And Apple approved that, too. I mean then Apple can just activate Emoji anyway!
Hmm… This is confusing…
Does the 2.2.1 update break this app? If so, I won’t update. I’ll ask on Twitter too.
@Brewstermax, 2.2.1 does not break Emoji but please do make sure that you turn it on in settings before updating. I’ve received reports that users that had turned it off, and then updated lost Emoji.
It’s unclear as to whether the RSS reader exploit still works on 2.2.1.
None of the feeds have a symbol or face at the end, so there’s no Emoji option under International in Keyboard. Any advice?
Hey Ash,
I’ve just got word that the Emoji-enabling app is broken on 2.2.1 until further notice.
Their application description describes a fix in Apple review
Arron
Indeed the app doesn’t work when you have update 2.2.1.
If you rollback to a restore-point before 2.2.1 (meaning 2.2) and open the app there, then navigating a bit around the app, then goto settings, kayboard, japanes, emoji should be at the top, enable it, then doing a second update (to 2.2.1) then it still should be activated.
the app’s info page is updated, see here: http://twitpic.com/1aukb (updates, info highlighted in yellow)
Uh oh. Is Frostyplace no longer going to be updated to support the iphone systemwide emoji icon enabler hack?
http://twitpic.com/1brbp
Just found a new app!! Typing Genius – Unlock Emoji
I tried frostyplace, didn’t work (as I had already udated my firmware to 2.2.1). didn’t want to spend $4 on emoji touch dial (am i cheap b@stard? haha). Typing Genius – Yeah baby! works as advertised. Maybe i’ll eventually checkout the typing genius part, but I bought it simply to unlock the emoji icon ability…and it WORKS!
– http://twitpic.com/1brs9.
@michael, yes Typing Genius – Unlock Emoji (iTns: http://bit.ly/z8FS) works!!!!!
For everyone who wants emoji on iphone 2.2.1 click here:
http://bit.ly/z8FS
Take it while it lasts…..
Nice blog you have. Keep it up