Apple locks down the iPhone iOS to hackers, but occasionally they find a way to jailbreak the iPhone. It is more difficult to jailbreak an iPhone than it used to be. A full jailbreak is rare, but occasionally a bug in an iOS software update makes it possible again. Is jailbreaking worth it? Here are some things you should consider before you decide to jailbreak your iPhone.
Implications of Jailbreaking an iPhone
Developers who can’t sell their software in the official app store have a new market. They use the Cydia app store, which comes as part of the jailbreaking process. These alternative outlets provide a home for the games and utilities that Apple rejected. Without the restrictions Apple imposes, apps on the Cydia app store can include different functionality than many of its iTunes counterparts. Some of these features are appealing to iPhone users who want to do things such as change the system font or give it iPad-style multitasking gestures. Apple frowns on the practice of jailbreaking for business-related reasons. However, the practice of jailbreaking has some legal support from the United States Copyright Office.
Jailbroken iPhones Have Stability Issues
Since jailbroken app developers don’t have to follow memory and CPU usage guidelines set by Apple, the result might be reduced battery life, slower performance relative to non-jailbroken iPhones, and possible random reboots. Performance management apps are available for jailbroken iPhones, but you may have to configure different settings if the phone has problems or issues.
Warranty Is Void If You Send Your Jailbroken iPhone for Service
Apple doesn’t provide support for jailbroken iPhones. If Apple finds out that you went through that process, it won’t honor your warranty, and it may not matter if the issue you’re requesting service for isn’t related to the firmware. This issue could be a problem if you have hardware-related issues that require service, such as a broken screen. It’s possible to reverse a jailbreak and put an iPhone back to its original state before you have any warranty service done. However, Apple may have a way to detect that you modified the iPhone, so don’t count on this as a cure-all.
Jailbroken-Only Features May Appear in Future iOS Versions
Some features that are incorporated into the latest iOS version started out as jailbroken apps. The jailbreaking community was able to sync iPhones over Wi-Fi for a while before Apple added that feature in iOS 5. If you’re willing to wait, your favorite jailbreak-only iPhone feature may make its way to a new version of iOS sooner or later. If a must-have feature arrives that you don’t think will make it into a new version of the iPhone iOS, then jailbreaking may be the only way to get it.
You Could Brick Your iPhone
Bricking occurs when you do something to the phone that leaves it in an unusable state that can’t be fixed by rebooting or reloading the software. While irreversible bricking of an iPhone is rare, it’s always a risk when attempting a jailbreak, especially if the software is in beta form and hasn’t been through a lot of testing.
You May Get Locked Out of the App Store or Other Content Services
Although Apple doesn’t appear to be taking major actions against jailbreakers, it could happen in the future, as Sony has reportedly done with people who hacked PS3s by locking jailbroken PS3 users out of the PlayStation Network and its services. Apple effectively prevented many jailbroken iOS users from using the iBook store, but the jailbreak developers soon circumvented the ban. Internet providers such as Time Warner prevent jailbroken iOS devices from using their iPad-accessible TV app. Others may follow suit, making jailbreaking less appealing to people who view media on mobile devices.
Jailbreaking Can Open Up Your iPhone to Malware
The Apple security team doesn’t play a role in reviewing the code of non-iTunes App Store software, so you must rely on developers to police their code for potential security vulnerabilities. Malware developers may also create iPhone-specific viruses, spyware, and other malware disguised as legitimate apps. It’s your decision whether the potential hazards are worth the perceived benefits of jailbreaking. For many jailbreakers, it’s not about the cool apps; it’s about the freedom to put whatever they want on a phone without restrictions. However, that flexibility may introduce complications that aren’t worth the risk.
