Jailbreaking is when you hack the operating system of an iPhone to allow any and all applications to run. This includes applications that may not necessarily be authorized by Apple. Jailbreaking your phone is technically legal, but it will expose you to a wider range of threats and void your warranties.
Is jailbreaking your iPhone legal? Federal regulators have recently declared that jailbreaking your iphone is legal. But while it won’t get you thrown in jail, it will make your life a lot more difficult. Both your phone service provider and phone manufacturer offer warranties with your iPhone, but both Verizon/AT&T and Apple’s warranties are declared void if you jailbreak your phone. When your iPhone is open to all those viral threats, no one is willing to touch it.
Apple maintains that the iPhone has succeeded so well in the marketplace because it a safe product to use. The stringent vetting process that each application goes through ensures that only legitimate clean apps make it through. By jailbreaking your iPhone you leave your device open to suffer from potentially catastrophic cyber attacks.
Most phone manufacturers, including Apple, claim that jailbreaking violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). On the other hand, the Electronic Frontier Foundation adamantly opposes making jailbreaking a crime because it limits the potential of the phone. If you are stuck trying to decide whether or not you want to jailbreak your iPhone you have two options: You can either jailbreak the iPhone and void your warranties or you can opt to use a non-Apple product like a Droid, LG, or Samsung phone. If you are not accident-prone and like the user interface of Apple, you should go with the first option. If you would prefer to keep your warranties, you can use other — less safe, but still reliable — options your service provider offers.
Continuing Problems
If you continue to have problems deciding what to do you should seek professional help. Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable phone businesses. You don’t have to do any work! Simply input your problem and availability and within minutes you should be connected to someone who can help you out.
