Suppose you get an iDevice with a "wrong" iOS version...

[Commodore]

Suppose you buy an iPad or an iPhone (either new, or second-hand) with a "wrong" iOS version -- be it 6.1.3, or 6.1 or less, just not 6.1.2 -- is there any way to up/down-grade it to exactly 6.1.2, if you have access to the correct 6.1.2 IPSW file? Or is that completely impossible if that device doesn't come with the "accompanying" shsh blobs?
(which means if you need it jailbroken, your only option is to wait until the next JB is available?)

 

[f4780y]

Suppose you buy an iPad or an iPhone (either new, or second-hand) with a "wrong" iOS version -- be it 6.1.3, or 6.1 or less, just not 6.1.2 -- is there any way to up/down-grade it to exactly 6.1.2, if you have access to the correct 6.1.2 IPSW file? Or is that completely impossible if that device doesn't come with the "accompanying" shsh blobs?
(which means if you need it jailbroken, your only option is to wait until the next JB is available?)

Unfortunately, with the current generations of 6.x capable iPad devices, there is no way to selectively downgrade the installed iOS. You can only choose to either stick with what you have installed or upgrade / restore to the latest version of IOS which Apple is signing, which is 6.1.3 today.

The reason for this is that the security measures employed by Apple, SHSH Blobs, cannot currently be circumvented for 6.x firmwares. It does not matter whether you have valid saved blobs or not, there is currently no way to utilise your saved blobs for any 6.x firmware. The only reason to carry on saving them is the potential that they may be of some use in the future.

This is not a new situation. Exactly the same was true for IOS 5.x until the exploits were discovered which allowed absinthe to jailbreak 5.1.1 and later for the 5.x re-restore process to be developed into redsn0w (including the opportunity to downgrade an iPad2 with 4.x blobs all the way back to a 4.x version of IOS).

Long story short, you cannot upgrade or restore any IOS 6.x capable iPad to any version of IOS other than the latest one, which is 6.1.3 today. If you aren't currently jailbroken, you need to wait for the next version of IOS which can be jailbroken.

The story is slightly different on the iPhone. Since an iPhone4 is an A4 based device which can run 6.x, it is therefore susceptible to the limera1n exploit. The 3GS has known bootrom exploits too.
With a bootrom exploit, it is possible to bypass some of the security, therefore utilise valid saved SHSH Blobs. However, any newer devices from the 4S onwards are in the same boat as the iPad. I'd recommend you visit our friends over at iPhoneForums.net if you have specific questions regarding iPhone devices...

Also worth noting, you suggest anything other than 6.1.2 is "wrong". Well, if you are stuck with anything between 6.0 and 6.1.2 then at least you can jailbreak it using Evasi0n. That may be a compromise which is fine for many folks!

Hope that helps clarify.

 

[Commodore]

Thanks for the clarification. I put the "wrong" in quotes for a reason, as it's subjective (in my case: if you need a jailbreak and want the latest updates available; although if you don't use Exchange server connection with an iPhone, I suppose 6.1.1 is fine as well).
But all in all, I can see that right now is not a good time to buy an iDevice, be it a new or a used one, unless it has the "right" iOS version already.

 

[scifan57]

The iOS version on an iPad when purchased is determined by when it left the factory. Any device receives the latest version of iOS during manufacture. With that being said, there is the time it takes for the iPad to make it from the factory to retail sale. 3 weeks ago I purchased an iPad 4, it had iOS 6.1 on it. The only way to know for sure which iOS version is on a new iPad is to set it up and check for software updates in settings.