Society will always find a way to deviate from the path, no matter what the faculty or subject matter may be. Any software that is launched on to the market immediately receives a backlash in hackers trying to get round paying a premium for it. It happened with CDs, DVDs and computer program software and now, inevitably, the hackers have found a way to get around Apple’s limitation laws for the iPhone. But is it worth Jailbreaking your iPhone?
appleiphoneschool’s technical definition of jailbreaking is, “The iPhone, iPod touch & iPad hack that allow users to gain access to the entire Unix filesystem. In Unix terms, this refers to changing the root of the directory tree to /.” In plain English, this means that you can hack into areas of your iPhone or other iDevice to manipulate the areas that Apple don’t let you play with, normally with the intention of installing cool programs and using your iPhone on any cellular network.
It seems that it was no sooner than the iPhone had been released on to the market then the Jailbreaking craze begun sweeping the web-osphere, with blogs recommending the best way to get around paying for apps and making your iPhone compatible with other operating systems, allowing you to get apps that are traditionally only compatible with other smartphones. Concurrently, as JD Abbey of AppAdvice states, “A few of the functions that Jailbreaking can supply include, video recording, tethering, multi-format video playback, copy/paste, turn by turn talking GPS navigation, Bluetooth file transfers, power management, MMS, Voip over 3G, instant messenger in the background, brighter flashlight, customized menus, and stolen phone recovery.” Sounds pretty good, huh? However, there are certain drawbacks to Jailbreaking, the key one being that it voids the warranty of the software licensing agreement, which is why there is so much hesitation from many people about actually going for it.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for and against Jailbreaking your iPhone…
| Yes I Should Jailbreak My iPhone!
|
No I Shouldn’t Jailbreak My iPhone!
|
| You can escape all of the restrictions that Apple place on your iPhone in one simple Jailbreak, including custom wallpaper and icons for your apps and Internet tethering. Very cool. | The software warranty is voided when you Jailbreak your iPhone. If you want it fixed, the Apple Genius Bar will just smile smugly as they kick you out of the door. |
| After Jailbreaking, you can Unlock your iPhone and use your iPhone on any carrier | Apple have placed restrictions for a reason; if they don’t let your device multitask, etc, it’s probably because the battery can’t handle it |
| It’s very simple; you don’t have to be a hacker to do it. All you need is a computer, a high-speed internet connection and 30 minutes, most of which is just waiting for the update to install. | Every time that you put an Apple update on your iPhone, your Jailbreak software is disabled and you have to do the whole thing again, with new software. This can get boring. |
| Most of even the worst Jailbreak disasters can be fixed by going into recovery mode in iTunes. | There is a slim but entirely possible chance that Jailbreaking could brick (wreck) your iPhone. Is it worth the risk? |
| If you don’t like the user experience that you get with Jailbreaking, you can fully reverse it. | A lot of the features available to earlier Jailbroken iPhones are now available to more recent models; you could just buy the latest device. |
| Some Jailbroken apps are the best around, including Intelliscreen, which Puts e-mail and calendars on the home screen and MyWi, which turns your iPhone into a mobile hotspot. | If you use some Jailbroken apps like FaceTime over 3G your data will go down faster than you can say, “Sorry Apple, please un-Jailbreak my iPhone!” |
So, what’s the conclusion? Is there even one?! Apple will always put out devices that hold a little back, in order for customers to always have the desire to upgrade to the next model; this is a simple, yet very effective business model that has helped them rise to the top of the pile in the technology and communications sphere. Like with any risk, there are potential drawbacks and if you Jailbreak your iPhone, then you whip away the proverbial safety net that the Genius Bar at Apple offers for damaged or faulty iPhones. However, if you want to take a gamble, then the benefits of a fully functional Jailbroken iPhone are certainly nothing to be sneezed at. It’s just that Apple won’t provide you with a handkerchief…
If you are interested in jailbreaking your iPhone, then check out the links below and see which one is most suitable to your device. Remember, iPhoneAppCafe does not endorse or encourage jailbreaking, so you are doing this at your own risk. (Good luck anyway!)
• Jailbreak iPhone 4.3.2 (iPhone 4 & iPhone 3GS) [Apple iPhone Review]
• Jailbreak iPhone 4.3.1 (iPhone 4 & iPhone 3GS) [Apple iPhone Review]
• Jailbreak iPhone 4.3 (iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS) [RedmondPie]
• iPhone 4.2 Jailbreak: How to Jailbreak iPhone 4.2 or iPod Touch With RedSn0w on iOS 4.2 [iSmashPhone]
• How to Jailbreak iPhone 4, 3GS iOS 4.1 with Limera1n [iPhoneHeat]
• Jailbreak iPhone 3G & 3GS w/ iOS4 [RedmondPie]
• Jailbreak iPhone 3GS 3.1.3 with Spirit [Apple iPhone Review]
• Jailbreak iPhone 3.1.2 with QuickPwn [QuickPwn]
• Jailbreak iPhone 3GS 3.1 with Pwnage tool on Windows [iHackintosh]
• How to Jailbreak and Unlock 2G iPhone OS 3.0 with redsn0w [Apple iPhone Review]
• How to Jailbreak iPhone 3G 3.0 on Windows & Mac with QuickPwn [BlogsDNA]
• Step-By-Step Guide to Jailbreak iPhone 3G Running iPhone OS 3.0 with redsn0w (Windows) [iPhoneHacks]
• Jailbreak iPhone 2.1 with QuickPwn [QuickPwn]
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