Hackers are claiming to have uncovered a flaw within iPhone and iPod Touch hardware that will make it easy for users to jailbreak their devices. And, if these reports prove accurate, it'll not be a trivial workaround for Apple to fix.Hacker Pod2g from the group Chronix Dev Team claims to have found a boot ROM vulnerability that can be used to create jailbreak exploits for most iPhones and iPod Touches. Such an exploit can't be fixed with a firmware update - rather they require a replacement of the hardware device. That's because once the boot ROM is programmed and set and the phone assembled in the factory, this segment of hardware can't be updated.

That means if you bought your device before today, or before Apple patches the hole in manufacturing, you may be able to jailbreak your device without Apple being able to do much - if anything - about it.

Any day now expect the iPhone Dev Team and others to publish software that will make it simple for anyone to jailbreak their iPhone or Touch.

It seems serendipitous that the jailbreakable vulnerability was announced on the same day Apple made its iOS 4.1 upgrade available. As Paul McDougall points out, the upgrade offers a number of enhancements including a social gaming platform, TV show rentals, iTunes Ping, advanced photographic capabilities, and fixes a number of bugs and other performance issues.

However, users may want to think twice before jailbreaking their devices. In February, Apple filed for a patent that covers the ability to spot and disable various unauthorized uses of an iPhone, Touch, or iPad - jailbreaking included.

So by jailbreaking the device, you may not only be voiding the warranty - but you may one day end up with a bricked phone or MP3 player.