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AndroidLock Lets You Use Pattern to Unlock iPhone Lock Screen

By on February 2, 2010 in Posted In: iPhone, Jailbreak

AndroidLock Hack for Jailbroken iPhoneI guess everyone of you should know about Android, the mobile OS developed by Google and it’s one of the major competitors for iPhone. Personally, I still prefer iPhone OS over Google’s Android. I’m not going to list out the pros and cons of both OS. This is not a post for comparing these two mobile platforms. However, one feature that Android does really better is the unlock screen.

Unlike iPhone which uses a slider to unlock, Android develops an interesting approach to lock and unlock the phone. The lock screen displays nine dots. You can set any screen lock pattern by connecting the dots, that serves as a form of password. To unlock the phone, simply redraw the screen pattern.

The first time I saw this approach to handle the unlock screen, I thought it’s cool and why Apple doesn’t bring it to iPhone. From time to time, I also got emails from readers asking whether we can apply this unlock pattern on jailbroken iPhone.

Now, here is the answer: AndroidLock hack.

AndroidLock is a hack available via Cydia, that brings the unlock approach of Android to jailbroken iPhone. The app is completely free for download. For first-time use, you’ll need to set your unlock pattern before Android activates. To set the pattern, just go to “Settings”. Tap on AndroidLock and then tap “Change Pattern”. Here, use your finger to draw your own unlock pattern, but make sure you remember it as you’ll need to use the same pattern to unlock the lock screen.

AndroidLock Change PatternAndroidLock Draw Pattern

Once you have confirmed your pattern, tap “AndroidLock” and you’re now ready to use AndroidLock. To try out, click the Sleep button twice to go the lock screen. AndroidLock should be activated and lets you to unlock the lock screen in Android style. Cool, right?

AndroidLock Unlock Screen

To download and install AndroidLock, launch cydia and search for AndroidLock to locate the package (via BigBoss repository). This hack can only work on jailbroken iPhone.

What do you think about AndroidLock? Should Apple incorporate it in the next iPhone OS update? As always, leave us comment to share your thought.

About Simon Ng

Founder, developer and chief blogger of simonblog.com
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  • GeorgePk

    Oh my GOD,

    DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU ARE USING LOCK SCREEN CALENDAR.

    The calendar sits on top of the android bullshit unlock and does not let you input your pattern,

    Hey Simon…now what???

    • rocknhockeyfan

      SSH into your iphone and remove one of them, then reactivate once uninstaled then reinstall

  • GeorgePk

    App Removed.

  • vishal

    Hello Simon…
    Does the app provide an option to enable/disable it.

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @vishal,

      At the mean time, this app doesn’t offer any switch to toggle itself. The only way to disable AndroidLock is to uninstall the app. However, if you’re an advanced user, you may try this:

      1. Use diskaid or simply SSH to login as root.
      2. Go into your iPhone’s root file system and change to /Library/MobileSubstrate/DynamicLibraries
      3. Rename AndroidLock.dylib to AndroidLock.disabled (the command is “mv AndroidLock.dylib AndroidLock.disabled”)
      4. Restart iPhone

      • Vishal

        Thx for replying.
        I had installed it and after a reboot the phone jst froze on the Android Lock lockscreen.
        It jst would not respond to any screen touches.
        I had to restore and jailbreak again.
        This hapened after in installed the Android Lock. Did you find any issues with the app?

      • ausoth

        THANXXXXXXXXXXX DUDE

  • http://bit.ly/986BGN Jane

    Hey I see you like fun games and humour, check out this new iphone app called iSICKO
    http://bit.ly/986BGN

  • sharon

    i can’t find AndroidLock on Cydia! i dont know why!

  • expired-33

    hello,
    i just installed Andriodlock but cant find it in settings :(
    does anyone know what to do ?
    tried to reinstall it many times and tried to uninstall it and install it again nothing happened

  • emily

    i just jailbroke and unlocked my iphone and just installed this androidlock. hope it works :S

    • emily

      yeah it works perfectly fiine, no issues whatsoever

      • Madison

        What do u type in at the app store to get it?

  • kevin

    installed and rebooted my phone. i have it in settings and i can put in the lock but when i lock my phone and go to unlock it, it is still the slide to unlock screen android lock screen doesnt show up. help :[

  • http://macleanpatrick.wordpress.com Maclean

    Installed it and it works fine. Sets my iPhone apart from the rest of the pack :)

  • Ashley

    i did what you said and clicked install but when i go to click confirm it says “The requested modifications cannot be applied due to required dependencies or conflicts that cannot be automatically found or fixed” what should i do now?!?!?

    • http://www.simonblog.com/2010/02/02/androidlock-lets-you-use-pattern-to-unlock-iphone-lock-screen/ jass

      i have the same problem, did you get it fixed or figured it out?
      if so, please help me :(

      • Brittany

        I’m havin the same problem

  • fang

    after i installed it, the andriod lockscreen didnt come up. And now when i type my password, nothing shows up

  • ausoth

    how do i unuse it

  • lt

    update so those on 4.0.1 can download this please?

  • mike

    The best advise i had found and worked was what “simon ng” said.

    1. Use diskaid or simply SSH to login as root.
    2. Go into your iPhone’s root file system and change to /Library/MobileSubstrate/DynamicLibraries
    3. Rename AndroidLock.dylib to AndroidLock.disabled (the command is “mv AndroidLock.dylib AndroidLock.disabled”)
    4. Restart iPhone

  • Brittany

    I have an Iphpne 3G but somehow every time I try to install this feature
    I can’t
    Why is this?
    Thanks

  • Pingback: iPhone to Have Android-Like Pattern Unlock Screen? [Apple Testing Android-Like Unlock Screen For iOS, Using Shapes & Gestures Instead of Slide or Passcode] » TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities

  • sam

    where can we find androidlock to dwnload in pc……wat’ da website
    can anybdy tell me!!!!!!!1

    • http://www.simonblog.com Simon Ng

      @Sam, you can download Androidlock via cydia. But make sure you are using iOS 3.x. The hack is not supported on iOS 4 or up.

  • jizzle

    Please inform my why this draw pattern format is better than a simple 4 digit code to unlock the phone? i don’t get it. So there are nine dots on the screen, that don’t have numbers on them. You still have to hit the dots in a certain order just as if you had to type in digits. What.. your finger doesn’t have to leave the phone now? Please. Goofy sh*t.

  • BAPON

    nice

  • brando

    I don’t think iPhone should have the pattern thing cuz its and android thing so yea its android style

  • Pili

    So here goes the stupid question of the day: how can I unlock my android lock screen on my iPhone because I cannot recall the pattern. Ugh. I really don’t want to go into detail, but I somehow managed to lock my phone and forgot to disable the android lock. :( any suggestions?

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  • http://www.schluesseldienstduisburg.de/tag/schluesseldienst/ Duisburg Schlüssel

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  • corey riggins

    I believe that apple should incoorporate it because it is new and interestingand it is harder to hack.

  • http://www.howtounlockiphone4s.net/ unlock iphone 4s

    F*ckin? tremendous issues here. I am very satisfied to peer your post. Thank you so much and i am having a look ahead to contact you. Will you please drop me a mail?

  • Andrewlawrence

    hi i just want a pattern lock

  • Tamoya

    I really like the app, I did something, no idea what, but now it keeps asking me to draw the ad pattern… WHAT IS THAT?

  • aky

    HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    i have downloaded many android lock’s but when i go to my settings there is only springboard.
    PLEASE HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Sasa

    Hello, my boyfreind locked his phone and now cant unlock tham
    What can we do?

    • dev

      where do u live

  • Ali Naqvi

    i have i phone 4g ,,,,i lost my pattern ,,,,,, cant open the phone ….. help me ,,,,, in a simple way…..

  • deependra

    mp bareli me reetesh bhai ki shop par jao koi bhi samasya ho uska hal pao………….