Apple has a very strict policy about the security of its devices, in fact according to the latest updates, if you are using passcode feature on your iPhone or iPad running iOS 8.0 or iOS 9.0 and above, Apple itself cannot grab your data for their use. This model of security has its benefits on one side and some limitations on the other side. iPhones & iPads are that is why locked down devices. You can just install apps which have been approved by Apple using the App Store and you cannot change or tweak the underlying system like you could do on Linux, Mac or Windows system. Jailbreaking or iOS Jailbreak is just the act of escaping this figurative ‘Jail’ or close environment so you can enjoy the freedom on your iDevice and enjoy most of its features with more freedom.
Apple doesn’t like jailbreaking of an iDevice and keeps trying to make it difficult to jailbreak your devices. Thus Apple and the jailbreaking community are engaged in a game of cat & mouse. Jailbreakers work on different tricks to make jailbreaking possible before Apple blocks their latest tricks with different patches of iOS.
What is iOS Jailbreaking?
Now that you have a brief idea of Jailbreaking or iOS Jailbreak, let us explain it in more details for the new bees. Jailbreaking is the process of breaking the root jail of your iPhone or iPad so that you can easily modify the operating system i.e. the iOS and install the apps outside the security policies of Apple and the App Store. It gives you excess to tweaks like themes, you can modify the way existing features work and add some new features that Apple doesn’t provide with its devices despite the hardware is capable of.
Jailbreaking is different from rooting and unlocking but is similar in many ways as well. Like many other modern devices, iOS devices like iPhone, iPod Touch & iPads come locked down. You don’t have access to the file system of your iDevice. In the same scenario you have a low level access on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer. Apple has a ‘Root user’ or ‘Administrator’ to access on your device but you don’t have.
Thus Jailbreaking or iOS Jailbreak is also an act of gaining full access to an iOS running device. Mostly Jailbreakers find a security vulnerability & use it to escape the locked down environment and provide users full control over their devices.
Advantages and Disadvantages of doing Jailbreak
Jailbreak free device would look more professional and secure when compared to the jailbroken device but What are some advantages & disadvantages of jailbreaking or iOS Jailbreak? Lets discuss!
Advantages of iPhone and iPad Jailbreaking
1. You can run any app you like most, including ones not permitted by Apple and not available on App Store and also you can run some of the apps from the App Store at a system level rather than the unprivileged level like you use on normal non-Jailbreak devices.
2. You can remove Apple services more or less at will on the iPad and iPhone and make your iPhone or iPad Bloatware free using the Jailbreak tweaks. If you do not know about the bloatware, bloatware are the pre-installed apps on your phone which you can not even uninstall.
3. You can provide the image of the software , It is relatively easy to restore to its previous non jailbroken state.
Disadvantages of iPhone and iPad Jailbreaking
1. It comes with some risks while you are running apps at a system level – malicious code can destroy your iPad or iPhone and badly written code can cause instability/crash of an entire system.
2. It is a very common experience that some of the the Jailbroken apps deplete the performance of the device.
3. iPad and iPhones in some cases are not elegible for warrantee if jailbreakon, if you want your warranty back, you need to restore your device to its original settings.
4. Whenever you upgrade the iOS on your jailbroken iPhone or iPad, all the jailbreak settings get void and you have to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad again.
Is iOS Jailbreaking of iPhone or iPad legal?
Thanks to the US DMCA, jailbreaking of any iPhone models is completely legal, although iPad jailbreaking appears to be felony but it seems that in near future jailbreaking your iPad will be possible as well. But remember, Laws may vary in other countries.
But remember that the Congress of U.S. Library has ruled that it is now illegal for you to unlock your smartphone in 2013. Carriers can still legally unlock your device for you but it is illegal to go through 3rd party unlock vendor. Jailbreaking of your phone has been kept legal in 2015 under an exemption in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). But still jailbreaking of iPad has technically been made illegal while the iPhone & iPod touch both remain exempt. So mostly jailbreaking is safe but unofficial unlocking is not. This is important to mention here for your knowledge. We will discuss shortly the difference between Jailbreaking and unlocking as well.
Jailbreaking of your Apple iOS device on your computer is totally safe. Some try to sell their jailbreaking services on sites that could cause issues if iPads are involved. But there is nothing mentioned in the history of jailbreaking to warrant concern at this point. So Keep calm and carry on.
8 Reasons You should Jailbreak
1. Access to the Cydia App Store.
2. Turn your phone into a mobile hotspot absolutely free.
3. Use Custom Themes.
4. Teach Siri with new tricks.
5. Access all of your major settings within one button.
6. Install all 3rd party iPad or iPhone apps.
7. Turn your iPhone into its own security system.
8. Better Call Management and Blacklisting.
8 Reasons You should not Jailbreak:
1. Security Vulnerabilities.
2. Instability of iOS and Apps.
3. Shortened the Battery Life.
4. Unreliable of Voice & Data.
5. Disruption of Services.
6. Inability to apply future software updates (iOS updates).
7. Apple may deny service to jailbroken devices.
8. Good Jailbreak Apps are Pricey.
Difference B/w Jailbreak, JV and Factory unlocked
The process of Jailbreaking is confusing and it can be easily mixed with ‘unlocking’. These two terms are totally different things. Unlocking refers to freeing your phone to work on any of the carrier instead of one you bought it on. Jailbreaking is the process of surrounding Apple’s security measures in iOS to install mods, tweaks and hacks that aren’t allowed by Apple using the apps not allowed on the App Store.
Most new iPhone users ask me that ‘what is the difference b/w factory unlocked iPhone & JV chip unlock iPhones’. So I decided to mention and explain here the difference as well. A locked phone is unlocked using a chip called Gevey, RSIM or TPSIM depending on the maker of the chip. Just place your sim (of any vendor) on the chip and both fit together in the phone and you get the network. It works like a factory unlocked iPhone as long as your sim is on the RSIM.
The limitation of the chip are:
1. You need to save your numbers with the country codes using the chip always. If you are not applying this method, your saved numbers will not show the names when they call you.
2. When Apple releases new version of iOS, you have to wait until you have confirmed that the chip still works on the new iOS version before you upgrade in order not to lock back the device in most cases, even if you upgrade, a new chip will be available to use with the new iOS version in many cases.
If you are comfortable with these, you have no issues with a chip iPhone because every other features of the device that works on a factory unlocked iPhone will also work on the chip unlock iPhone.
The advantages of the chip is obviously the price. You can save good amount of money when you buy an iPhone using chip. An important note to remember, if you have used a factory unlocked device, then your iPhone will have the same features & functions as a new factory unlocked phone at only a fraction cost. The best way to figure out if your device is Locked or Unlock, is through www.IMEI-Index.com . In 60 seconds they will inform you about the unlocking state of your device, and if it is locked, they will also inform you about the network that blocks your device.
Now that you have an overall idea of Jailbreaking or iOS Jailbreak and you understand the difference between Jailbreaking, JV and factory unlocked settings, do share your thoughts, questions and stuff in the comments section. We will next bring some Tweaks and tricks you can perform on your Jailbroken iPhone or iPad.
This Story was filed by Syed Tanzil Ur Rehman