Apple has seeded developers of their iPhone Developer Program with beta version of iPhone OS 3.1 (build number is 7C97D) and iPhone SDK.

Apple hasn't provided much details about the improvements expected in iPhone OS 3.1 but developers have already stumbled upon some interesting changes in the latest iPhone OS.

According to TheiPhoneblog, developers have observed the following changes in iPhone OS 3.1:

As you might already know, the iPhone Dev Team released updated version of PwnageTool for Mac users and Redsn0w for both Mac and Windows users to jailbreak iPhone 3G running iPhone OS 3.0.

PwnageTool offers more customization options to the users compared to the RedSn0w. However, it is available only for Mac users.

Here is our step-by-step guide to jailbreak iPhone 3G running iPhone OS 3.0 using PwnageTool for Mac.

As always, an important preparatory step before jailbreaking your iPhone 3G is to take a backup of your iPhone. Please refer to this post for more details.  Also, make sure that your an iPhone 3G, iTunes 8.2 version and Mac OS X 10.5.7 installed.

Please note that PwnageTool does not jailbreak iPhone 3GS.

As with any hack, please proceed with caution as jailbreaking your iPhone could void it's warranty.

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to jailbreak your iPhone 3G in order to use the iPhone OS 3.0 using PwnageTool for Mac.

Step 1: Create a folder on your desktop and name it Pwnage.

Step 2: Now download PwnageTool 3.0 from here or here and put it inside the Pwnage folder that you just created.

Also, download the latest 3.0 firmware from the location given below and put it in the same Pwnage folder. iPhone OS 3.0 - iPhone1,2_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw 

Note: It might be better to download using Mozilla since Safari has a habit of auto extracting files.

Step 3: Now, double click to mount PwnageTool 3.0 and drag the PwnageTool in to the Pwnage folder.

Step 4: From the Pwnage folder, double click on the PwnageTool application in order to launch it. You will receive a Copyright warning message, please click on Ok to continue.

Step 5: Click to select Expert Mode from the top menu bar

Step 6: Now from the three different images displayed, click on your iPhone 3G image. Once selected, a check mark will appear over the iPhone 3G image.

Step 7: Click on the blue arrow button displayed at the bottom left.

Step 8: Clicking on the blue arrow will bring you to a page with Browse for IPSW displayed on it.
It should automatically find the IPSW but in case it does not then please click the Browse for IPSW text.

Step 9: Click on the found IPSW file (once selected, a checkmark will appear next to it). Then click on the blue arrow button at the bottom left to continue.

Step 10: You will see a page with 7 available options. Click the General option and then click on the blue arrow button to continue.

Step 11: You will be taken to the General Settings page, which will allow you to decide the root partition size. Click Activate the phone and Disable partition wipe-out.

Note:

• Uncheck the Activate the phone option, if your iPhone is already activated and is on an official carrier.
• You might need to increase the Root partition size from the current displayed value of 511 MB. For some users it has worked between 695 to 700 MB.

Step 12: Once on the Bootneuter settings page, click on the blue arrow button. (All the options under Bootneuter settings will appear greyed out).

Step 13: You will then come to the Cydia settings. The Cydia Settings will allow you to create your own custom packages so that you don't have to manually install them later.

Step 14: Click on the Download Packages tab. Also, click on the Refresh button. This will display all the available packages.

Step 15: Now double click on the packages that you want to download, Double clicking will also make those packages available under the Select packages tab.

Step 16: Check the packages that you want and click on the blue arrow button.

Step 17: You will be able to see the list of package settings for your custom IPSW under the Custom Packages Settings. Click on the blue arrow button to continue.

Step 18: If you want then you can click Browse buttons and add your own images as boot logos under the Custom Logos Settings. If not, then you can continue with the existing images and click on the blue arrow button.

Step 19: Now, click the Build button to start the pwnage process and click on the blue arrow button to continue.

Step 20: You will receive a prompt asking you to save your custom IPSW file. Save this file in to the Pwnage folder that you had created on your desktop (remember, step 1).

PwnageTool will build your IPSW file. Give it about 10 minutes.

Step 21: Once it is built, it will ask your to enter your administrator name and password. Enter the info and click Ok button.

Step 22: You will be prompted with a message asking if your iPhone 3G has been Pwned before. Simply, click No. (Clicking No button ensures a complete restore).

Step 23: You will be asked to turn OFF your iPhone. Please make sure that it is connected to the USB.

Step 24: Now, follow the instructions that come up on the screen.

• It will ask you to hold the Home button and the Power button for 10 seconds.
• Then release the Power button and hold the Home button for 10 seconds to enter the DFU mode.

The screen will give you about 5 seconds to start with the above instructions. In case you fail, please follow the steps given below:

Step 25: If you fail, you will receive a message.

• Click Yes on the message
• Unplug the iPhone from the USB port
• Turn it OFF and then turn it back ON
• Plug it back in to the USB and turn OFF the iPhone when prompted.

Step 26: If done correctly, you will see a message that confirms that it has successfully entered DFU mode. It will also launch an iTunes popup.

Step 27: In the iTunes, press the Alt or Option key and click on the Restore button.

Step 28: Using the dialog window that opens up, browse to the Pwnage folder on your desktop.

Step 29: Select the custom IPSW that was created (name: iPhone1,2_3.0_7A341_Custom_Restore.ipsw) and click the Open button.

Step 30:  iTunes will restore the firmware on your iPhone in about 10 minutes time.

 

You may also choose to restore from an earlier backup in order to keep all your settings or use your iPhone afresh.

 

It has been more than a week since Apple released the much awaited iPhone OS 3.0 which included 100 new features such as Copy and Paste, Spotlight, Bluetooth, Push Notification, MMS, Tethering (last 2 not yet available in US) and more.

But the fun part is to discover the features that Apple didn't mention. So in case you haven't stumbled upon them already, checkout some of the hidden features in iPhone OS 3.0 after the jump so that you can start using them.

You can refresh all you want but that won't make the 3.0 update for your iPhone appear any faster. In fact, you might want to give your trigger finger a rest for a few hours -- Engadget bud, Richard Lai, noted in a tweet that Apple's Singapore site says that the iPhone OS 3.0 update will release on the 18th while Apple India says the 17th, the date announced by Apple -- the difference presumably accounting for the 2.5-hour timezone offset between the two countries. That would peg an OS 3.0 release anytime between 1700 and 1930 in London or between noon and 2:30pm in New York. But don't let a little knowledge ruin your obsessive behavior, where's the fun in that?

Update: The theory is supported by reports that carrier 3 in Hong Kong sent a network-wide SMS notifying iPhone owners that OS 3.0 will be available on June 18th, 01:00 local time. That's 1pm on the 17th in New York, 6pm in London, and 1900 in central Europe.