iOS 8.3 Prevents OS X File Manager Apps From Accessing iOS Devices

Apple’s iOS 8.3 security settings is preventing file manager and transfer utilities such as iFunBox, iTools, iBackupBot and others from gaining access to app directories on iOS devices.

MacRumors:

The change breaks current versions of transfer utilities for OS X and Windows, forcing many developers to release new versions of their software with workarounds that restore at least partial sandbox access.

“iOS 8.3 ruined our freedom of controlling data in our installed Apps and Games,” writes iFunBox in a Facebook post. “Apple blocked access of the entire sandbox directory of every installed App since iOS 8.3. Previously only writing is block in executable directory. Now we totally lost the control of Apps on our own devices. We are investigating the situation. Before there is a solution, iFunbox will fail to open data directory of any App if the device is not jailbroken.”

iFunBox was updated over the weekend to version 2.95, to include a partial fix that allows all apps with “iTunes File Sharing” enabled to be opened for sandbox browsing. Any other access looks to require a jailbroken device. iFunBox version 2.95 also allows and music file to be imported as a ringtone.

While the utilities still work with jailbroken devices, there are currently no jailbreaks available for iOS 8.3.

We’ll keep you posted on further developments.

Chris Hauk

Chris is a Senior Editor at Mactrast. He lives somewhere in the deep Southern part of America, and yes, he has to pump in both sunshine and the Internet.