Jailbreaking iPhone is the term that we often come across on multiple places online particularly in terms for Mac and iPhone devices. However there are places that although talk about the procedure for Jailbreaking iPhone but do not guide on what this term actually means. Hence in this article this is what we are going to do, which is to guide our readers on what Jailbreaking iPhone essentially means including its perks and drawbacks.
What does Jailbreaking iPhone means?
Before we move on to the explanation of the term Jailbreaking iPhone, let’s dig into a little bit of anatomy. The iPhone is a product of Apple and uses a strictly closed system that operates with the name iOS. Now this iOS system is tightly locked down and any iPhone user is essentially restricted in terms of what they can do to their phones. This is actually beneficial because it essentially means stringent security for your iDevice and makes sure that Apple devices stay compatible on the overall platform however this is a drawback because a strict iOS system means less freedom for the user.
If you talk about Android’s operating system on the other side then it is more of an open source system. The advantage of this is that you can do practically anything to your Android device however the set back is that Android developers have to put in a lot of efforts to keep their user system secure.
Now Jailbreaking iPhone resolves the issues and restrictions of the closed iOS system by placing an operating system on your iDevice that is slightly modified. It will still appear and feel pretty much the same as the real iOS however will give you tons of freedom over your iPhone in terms of its configuration and its usage.
Before we proceed further ahead with details on Jailbreaking iPhone, it is imperative that we bring it into your knowledge that Apple doesn’t really permit jailbreaking and if you do it, this process will render your warranty useless. It isn’t something illegal and you can change your iPhone as you like it to be however you shouldn’t be expecting a great deal of help or appreciation from any Apple store when need be.
What are the benefits of Jailbreaking iPhone?
Jailbreaking iPhone as we have already mentioned does have its perks and a few of which are described below in case you are planning on proceeding with this process:
- Access to multiple third party apps: Cydia is an App Store which is jailbroken as an overall and allows you to download all those apps which the iTunes doesn’t allow you to have on your iDevice. This app store comprises of numerous apps, games and other tools which are offered by third party companies and not Apple itself. Using this you will be able to operate ad blockers, video ripping apps that are otherwise aren’t accessible through iTunes.
- Interaction with hardware which is normally off limits: Apple in general restricts various apps from its interaction with Siri and other hardware plus software of iPhone. Now Jailbreaking iPhone lets you get access to these blocked resources; it lets you use gaming emulators, shift cell service providers and a lot more.
- Ability for iPhone Customization: A standard iPhone set will not let you personalize your device with the freedom that you wish to customize it at however Jailbreaking iPhone gives you much more freedom in this regard. You can use things like Winterboard to personalize every inch of your iPhone.
What are the drawbacks of Jailbreaking iPhone?
Just like everything in this world has its perks and advantages, it also has its drawbacks because of course Newton’s third law of motion. The following are some of the prominent setbacks of Jailbreaking iPhone:
- Decreased Security: The most prominent drawback of Jailbreaking iPhone is the enhanced risk of malware intrusion and access to poorly formulated apps. Even though the closed restricted iOS system is a bit of a hassle to deal with, but in fact it is designed to keep your device safe from malware infections. So when you essentially jailbreak your iPhone, you are not dependent on Apple neither is Apple responsible for your iPhone’s security.
- Compromised System Updates: Jailbroken iPhones will not be able to access or download iOS updates which are otherwise automatically updated. Furthermore many apps which are otherwise updated on their own, will no more work when you jailbreak iPhone. Hence the updating process as a whole will become difficult and you will have to manually update every app.
- Decreased System Stability: A closed iOS system provides a working system that is high in terms of its stability. Even though the jailbroken systems are also stable but this doesn’t hold true for many apps that are downloaded through Cydia or other App Stores other than Apple App Store.