Weekend Project: Nike+ and iPhone 3G – Part 1
Preface
Jason Chen over at Gizmodo, 2+ years ago threw down the gauntlet and started the iPhone Hacker Challenge: Make the Nike+ iPhone Work With Nike+ Sport Kit. To my knowledge no one yet has successfully met this challenge until now.
At first I kept watching and hoping Apple/Nike would support the iPhone 3G. With each new firmware update the rumour mill would start and people would say finally Nike+ would be available on the iPhone 3G. Sadly it still isn’t and the rumours are getting quieter and fewer with each passing update.
This is nothing more than a proof of concept – to say that the iPhone 3G has no technical limitations to being able to run Nike+. It might not have the built in hardware like its big sister, the 3GS, but neither does the Nano and it at least gets a receiver. Maybe the battery will drain faster, maybe there are incompatibly issues with other accessories and it is a necessary trade-off, or maybe tethering won’t work, but whatever the reason(s) is, my hope for releasing this proof of concept is to get Apple/Nike to reconsider their decision and support the iPhone 3G. I believe there are a group of consumers that would gladly spend money on the Nike+ Sport Kit if they are able to use it with their iPhone 3G.
Warning
I take no responsibility for the method described below. I am simply describing the method I used and what I found to have worked. This may or may not brick or otherwise damage your iPhone since this is something your iPhone wasn’t intended to do. And remember: this is the internet.
Other accessories, such as bluetooth handsfree headsets may or may not work. I don’t have any so I’m unable to confirm or deny.
If you still brave and willing to continue then please: Backup, Backup, Backup.
Requirements
Software
A method to decrypt the firmware - vfdecrypt
A method to extract the files from the firmware: I used Acute System’s Transmac
A method to copy files to your iPhone and ssh: I used winscp and putty
A method to edit plist files: I used plist Editor for Windows
ldid from Cydia for pseudo-signing – see here
iTunes v9 (I am running 9.0.2.25)
Additional Files
Firmware for the iPod Touch 2G v3.0 (7A341) – here
The firmware key
Patched iapd file – here or here
Hardware
A jailbroken iPhone 3G running v3.1.2 firmware (7D11) with SSH access
And obviously the all important Nike+ sensor and receiver kit
