Apple Warns Users Against Jailbreaking

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Posted April 20, 2010 at 7:04pm by iClarified

Apple is warning users against jailbreaking their iPhones and iPods calling it a major source of instability, disruption of services, and other issues.

As designed by Apple, the iPhone OS ensures that the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch operate reliably. Some customers have not understood the risks of installing software that makes unauthorized modifications to the iPhone OS ("jailbreaking") on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Customers who have installed software that makes these modifications have encountered numerous problems in the operation of their hacked iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Examples of these issues supposedly caused by jailbreaking include the following:

Device and application instability: Frequent and unexpected crashes of the device, crashes and freezes of built-in apps and third-party apps, and loss of data.

Unreliable voice and data: Dropped calls, slow or unreliable data connections, and delayed or inaccurate location data.

Disruption of services: Services such as Visual Voicemail, YouTube, Weather, and Stocks have been disrupted or no longer work on the device. Additionally, third-party apps that use the Apple Push Notification Service have had difficulty receiving notifications or received notifications that were intended for a different hacked device. Other push-based services such as MobileMe and Exchange have experienced problems synchronizing data with their respective servers.

Compromised security: Security compromises have been introduced by these modifications that could allow hackers to steal personal information, damage the device, attack the wireless network, or introduce malware or viruses.

Shortened battery life: The hacked software has caused an accelerated battery drain that shortens the operation of an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on a single battery charge.

Inability to apply future software updates: Some unauthorized modifications have caused damage to the iPhone OS that is not repairable. This can result in the hacked iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone OS update is installed.

Apple strongly cautions against installing any software that hacks the iPhone OS. It is also important to note that unauthorized modification of the iPhone OS is a violation of the iPhone end-user license agreement and because of this, Apple may deny service for an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that has installed any unauthorized software.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has asked the Copyright Office to officially exempt jailbreaking from Apple's DMCA claims stating that this sort of claim is absurd. Imagine GM trying to claim that only GM could do any mechanical work on your car. You can read more about this case here.

Read More [via Nathaniel]

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DA - April 27, 2010 at 8:46am

And to think that they got their app store idea from Cydia and now (After grossing shit loads of cash from their own stolen idea) they want everyone to stop using it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an Apple hater but this prove they need to be a little more thankfull to the people that gave them this kind of ideas.

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Yllier - April 21, 2010 at 8:26am

It looks like you guys aren't getting the car analogy. It's not about paying for repair if you modify your car and something goes wrong. It is about being allowed to modify your car. What apple wants is that the law consideres jailbreaking as a violation of DMCA and therefor becomes illegal. Analogy: It's illegal to make the slightest modifications to your car on your own. Even if it is just replacing the a light.

brandon - April 21, 2010 at 2:24pm

Yllier is right... Dont look at the price to do the mod, look at the ability to do the mod... Take another software situation for example. Most PC's are sold with windows preloaded but you are freely able to format your harddrive and put linux or even DOS on your PC..... Apple on the other hand sells computers with OSX preloaded and an option to install windows side by side but they expect you to use OSX bcuz its their stuff.... Apple is just greedy and don't want to freely let us do whatever we want with their hardware/software, they expect us to be happy little campers and deal with what they give us and they refuse the fact that it was jailbroken devices that led up to the creation of the appstore and most of the new features appearing on the iPhone OS

K1D0N3 - April 21, 2010 at 6:38am

Car analogy is not right, I modify my car all the time, and I know I could always go to a garage or dealership to fix anything I can't,... I don't mind paying for service, at least I get some. Another thing, my phone ain't jailbroken yet, and it does crashes once in a while.

Gi0nPier0 - April 21, 2010 at 4:36am

before hitting us a warning like that, they have to create a solution for the locked devices, Specially after producing an officially unlocked devices with the same prices [its not fare], and then they have all the rights to judge us as much as they can, so let them think carefully before locking the iPhone 4G.

Noman - April 21, 2010 at 4:35am

This is interesting because it means that Apple has spent time Jailbreaking phones and using them. . .Everything they're saying is also true you CAN do/get all of the things they mention. . . I personally got a good mix of cydia apps working reliably on 3.1.2 about 6 months ago and haven't changed anything since.

Noman - April 21, 2010 at 4:39am

sorry, when I said you CAN get these symptoms I meant that it's doesn't mean you will if your careful with what you do. e.g I won't touch Rock Your Iphone since trying it and having to restore.

Gi0nPier0 - April 21, 2010 at 4:28am

before hitting us a warning like that, they have to create a solution for the locked devices, and then they have all the rights to judge us as much as they can.

Joe Cole - April 21, 2010 at 12:13am

Apple et al. Muchas Gracias for the warning. I solemnly swear that I shall not jailbreak my iFone. I hope that makes you happy :)

samK - April 20, 2010 at 10:00pm

we didn't choose to jailbreak. we're forced to.

Andy - April 25, 2010 at 10:16pm

Amen

David - April 20, 2010 at 9:18pm

I have both my and my wife's phones jailbroken and use carefully selected apps to augment the phone nicely. However, the car analogy is inappropriate. For one, an individual repairing your car can be held liable for damages if they do something dangerous. Not really the case with a jailbroken app. Further, while a manufacturer can't void the warranty when unauthorized work is done on unrelated systems, they can refuse to fix a system that was explicitly worked on and broken by someone else.

Awayze - April 20, 2010 at 8:30pm

I've had that unreliable data connection when jailbroken. Without jailbreaking I don't have to keep rebooting the iPhone every day to get it working. Apps crashed a few times when jailbroken. None since stock.

matel - April 20, 2010 at 8:14pm

clearly they have no clue. if can be jailbroken it meana it is unsafe period

Chowder - April 20, 2010 at 7:37pm

The funny thing is that people experience these issues without jailbreaking their phone. Having a jailbreak allows users to control the stability of the phone by giving users access to options to more features

Brian - April 20, 2010 at 8:23pm

I have none of those problems with my stock iPhone 3GS, very reliable phone. Actually I don't even think my 3GS has ever locked up completely, I have had applications crash on occasion. Service is great where I live, yesterday I ran tv on my iPhone over 3G for 4 hours without a hiccup (eyetv). I can't say the same for when I had my unlocked/jailbroke iPhone 2g. I will say it wasn't bad but I did have to reformat it couple of times and had lockups. But I have nothing against jailbreaking or unlocking I just don't really need it that much for what I do. The 3GS is fast and I don't worry about multitasking that much but I will be glad when we do get it with 4.0. Jailbreaking did slow down the iPhone 2G.

Frank - April 20, 2010 at 7:27pm

If they don't want us to jailbreak, all they have to do is give us all the features we want and need and a way to officially unlock the phones world wide. Until then, I will jailbreak. Besides it's my phone and I can hit it with a hammer if I want to. It's mine!!!!

DigiHead - April 20, 2010 at 7:57pm

of course you can, just don't ask for warranty service after that! :D

m_thoroughbred - April 20, 2010 at 8:38pm

You're missing the point! You own the hardware not the software so when you purchased the phone you agreed on using it with the software that was intended for. And the whole arguement about when you buy a car the maker of that car can't tell you how yo run it well that depends cause if you buy a car a new car that is and you mod anything in your new car and something goes wrong wether or not that was the cause of the problem it will void your warranty automatically. So gm, ford etc. Don't hve to honor the warranty cause you broke the agreement you had when you sign off on the car.

Honzo - April 20, 2010 at 9:10pm

Actually, you are missing the point. Does Apple stating in the iPhone EULA that you have no right to modify the OS make it acceptable and legal? That's the question. This is not a discussion shot warranty terms. It is a discussion about who owns the hardware and the software installation on a device purchased by a consumer. If Apple stated in the EULA that the apple OS could not be used on Saturdays, would that be acceptable? Does using the phone on Saturdays hurt you? Does it hurt any other users? Does it hurt the network?hurt apple? Not at all. But does that make the clause acceptable or legal? Clearly, no. Jailbreaking is no different - except that it means there is competition and that could potentially lower apple revenues from royalties. Well, that's clearly anticompetitive and quite frankly, short-sighted on Apple's part. Do they have a right to say that certain modifications may void the warranty? Absolutely. But that's a small issue compared to the one at hand.

sd - April 20, 2010 at 9:14pm

It doent make any sense not to modify. Even if I agree to use the software I should be allowed to make modifications which makes it convenient for me. I can buy a car modify something in the engine, exterior and I can still drive as long as it doesnt interrupt others. But a car manufacturer cannot tell you its not legal to buy spare parts from outside and make your own modification. May be you can void warranty, thats all. Moreover I just jailbreak to make sure my phone works with another provider, since eventhough I stayed with the provide from whom I purchased the device I still cannot use with another provider even though my contract ended. No provider in North America provides an official unlock even if the contract properly ends!!!

Frank - April 20, 2010 at 9:36pm

There is nothing about jailbreaking that can screw up your phone so much that a simple restore cannot get you back to your original "locked up in Apple jail" state. The point is not about warranty. You can void it if you want but telling me it's illegal or trying to make it so is simply insulting my intelligence. Jailbreaking is safe as long ad you know what you are doing and even if you don't, a little google search can point you in the right direction. Don't let Apple scare you in unlocking the hidden potentials of your phone.

m_thoroughbred - April 20, 2010 at 11:35pm

Who cares man all they are saying is if you jailbreak it and something goes wrong don't come to us.

Reneo - April 25, 2010 at 2:39am

Funny that all features we mainly use on jailbroken phones no end up in os 4 so Let us play with jailbroken devices as an development for new os releases