Sunday, October 18, 2009

EyeTV iPhone App Allows For Streaming Over 3G Through Built-In Backdoor (Update: And It Works Again!) [IPhone]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/BIqLmLfzfuI/eyetv-iphone-app-allows-for-streaming-over-3g-through-built+in-backdoor-update-and-it-works-again

The EyeTV iPhone app is supposed to allow you to stream media from a computer to an iPhone over a Wi-Fi connection, but it comes with a little bonus that must've slipped past Apple's approval process: streaming over 3G. Updated.

I don't even know if this can be called a "backdoor" with as easy as it is to bypass the "Wi-Fi only" warning on this app:

Tap the OK button, and the app will act as if it can't receive broadcasts. However, tap the text of the warning message instead, and the Eye TV app will stream live TV over a 3G connection.

Easypeasy, and you might as well snatch up the app before Apple or AT&T react.

Update 1: Looks like Apple reacted pretty quickly and yanked the app already.

Update 2: There's a statement from Elgato, the folks behind the EyeTV app explaining what happened:

Some test code that enabled live TV streaming over the cellular network was accidentally left in the the EyeTV App. Apple requested that we remove the code since their agreement with AT&T does not allow redirecting TV signals over the cellular network. The code was removed and a 1.0.1 version of the EyeTV app was submitted. We expect EyeTV to return to the App Store when the 1.0.1 version is approved.

Update 3: Reader Tony wrote in to say that, while he could not download the EyeTV app through the iTunes link, searching for! it on t he iPhone App Store allowed him to purchase, download, and use the app to stream over 3G without any issues. Is anyone else able to still get the 1.0.0 version like this?

[ElectricPig via Boy Genius Report]