US government legalizes iPhone 'jailbreaking,' unlocking

1246711

Comments

  • Reply 61 of 219
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Masterz1337 View Post


    Funny enough, this is what most paid apps in Cydia have in place.



    You are correct. That is pretty funny. The fact that app developers who sell apps on Cydia feel the need to protect themselves from piracy kind of gives lie to the lame protestations we often see that jailbreakers are not doing a significant amount of pirating.
  • Reply 62 of 219
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dr Millmoss View Post


    Possibly, but I doubt it would make any significant difference in the numbers of people willing to take the risk of bypassing Apple's security model.



    Yeah, because that's been so reliably rock-solid.
  • Reply 63 of 219
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    Hahaha Apple. Now what?



    Don't get your hopes up, hater. Making something "legal" does not prevent Apple from continuing to thwart jailbreaking software. Absolutely NOTHING has changed. Apple can still lock their devices, use whatever means they can to prevent unlocking. They are not required to facilitate jailbreaking, they are not required to unlock their devices. They can still void warranties on a modified device or software. In short the only thing that changed is the legal status of jailbreaking.
  • Reply 64 of 219
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,817member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cgc0202 View Post


    In reality we are so imprisoned by our own point of view that we sometimes have difficulty understanding the limits of what we can and cannot do. In the US for example, religious zealots have a view of what is right and wrong, and consider it their choice and right to ensure that their view must prevail irrespective of the choices and differeng views of others. If that will not suffice, some extremist even went to the extent of murdering those who will not adhere to what they believe in.



    That is an extreme example. I am sure you can think of more nuanced situations and cases where government has to define the parameters of what people can and cannot do.



    That the government, as it works usually, may be usurped by the powerful to their advantage and the detriment of many in society is one reason why some people mistrust the role of government in our lives.



    CGC



    Shouldn't that make people mistrust 'the powerful' even more?
  • Reply 65 of 219
    min_tmin_t Posts: 74member
    Don't think it even phases Apple. If you jailbreak, warranty is voided and Apple saves time and resources having to support another phone. Unlocking? You'd still have to buy a phone so it doesn't affect revenue. AT&T might even be happy if some folks migrated off their network.
  • Reply 66 of 219
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdh26 View Post


    Why would Apple even care?



    Exactly. That is a great question. It is totally silly that Apple has stuck to this for so long.



    As some of have been predicting here, this outcome was to be expected at some point. For once, I am actually impressed with the regulators!



    Now, the key question: when/how will ATT allow formal unlocks, at least on phones that are past the two-year contract? How would one actually go about it?
  • Reply 67 of 219
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,817member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lkrupp View Post


    Don't get your hopes up, hater. Making something "legal" does not prevent Apple from continuing to thwart jailbreaking software. Absolutely NOTHING has changed. Apple can still lock their devices, use whatever means they can to prevent unlocking. They are not required to facilitate jailbreaking, they are not required to unlock their devices. They can still void warranties on a modified device or software. In short the only thing that changed is the legal status of jailbreaking.



    Perhaps this will only help increase the sale of iPhones.
  • Reply 68 of 219
    Would this only apply to the US do you think?
  • Reply 69 of 219
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr Underhill View Post


    This should sell a few more iPods/iPhones and eventually iPads



    iPads are already unlocked. No reason why Apple couldn't do the same with iPhones. (Not sure how this matters for iPods, though).
  • Reply 70 of 219
    onhkaonhka Posts: 1,025member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    ?someone will set up a legal second store with the "morally questionable" (girls in bikinis) apps, or Apple will have to relent on their Disney-eque fantasy and allow them in the regular store.



    I have to think that the folks at Apple are rolling on their sides on this one.



    My Ignore List (Subject to change) AngusYoung battlescarred'red 1 Bagman BenRoethig Blackintosh Bloodshottrollin captmark Chopper chronster Da Harder extremeskater iGenius (aka Josh.B and SpotOn) g3-ro gVibe Gazoobee ski1 Sofabut SpotOn StLBluesFan Stonefree Tekstud AngusYoung Mactripper (aka WooHoo) Matt_s Stevie Stonefree webmail
  • Reply 71 of 219
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Dr Millmoss View Post


    As above, very likely, nothing.



    Without the government, nobody enjoys copyright and patent protections.



    Or defense. Or public health. Or foreign policy. Or currency. Etc.
  • Reply 72 of 219
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by min_t View Post


    Don't think it even phases Apple. .......



    Fazes.
  • Reply 73 of 219
    It was illegal before? It's your phone you can do what you want with it.
  • Reply 74 of 219
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    You are correct. That is pretty funny. The fact that app developers who sell apps on Cydia feel the need to protect themselves from piracy kind of gives lie to the lame protestations we often see that jailbreakers are not doing a significant amount of pirating.



    No more so than the existence of DRM on CD's and DVD's and software gives lie to the lame protestations we often see that owners of CDs and DVDs and software are not doing a significant amount of pirating.



    Are you a pirate? The fact that your physical media has DRM would seem to imply so, no?
  • Reply 75 of 219
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The U.S. government on Monday announced new rules that make it officially legal for iPhone owners to "jailbreak" their device



    When was it "officially illegal"?
  • Reply 76 of 219
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Exactly. That is a great question. It is totally silly that Apple has stuck to this for so long.



    As some of have been predicting here, this outcome was to be expected at some point. For once, I am actually impressed with the regulators!



    Now, the key question: when/how will ATT allow formal unlocks, at least on phones that are past the two-year contract? How would one actually go about it?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    Perhaps this will only help increase the sale of iPhones.



    Not a chance in hell. When will the pseudo-tech crowd finally admit that real people don't think or act like they do. The typical Apple customer has no interest in modifying, jailbreaking, or doing anything else with their device. And they are not technically inclined to do so either. They are not tinkerers. They may want to copy/convert their DVDs to give to their friends but they are not capable of doing so. Just visit any website that discusses such software. The nerds probably see this as some sort of victory over the manufacturers but it is not. Nothing changes where the rubber hits the road. Jailbroken devices are in the extreme minority and will remain so.
  • Reply 77 of 219
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    I see a lot of posts here assuming that these rules will force or compel Apple or at&t to facilitate unlocking. On what assumption are you basing this? Wishful thinking?
  • Reply 78 of 219
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    The legality of jailbreaking was never an issue. This will create more problems for jailbreakers (below).



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post


    after this jailbreaks will not be free anymore, the government just created a new market.



    Exactly. In short, this ruling basically says "It is legal to sell phone jailbreaking and unlocking software". People are singling out Apple here but this applies to ALL cell phones.
  • Reply 79 of 219
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Chris_CA View Post


    When was it "officially illegal"?



    It was ambiguous. Apple went to the Copyright office and argued that the act of jailbreaking was itself a copyright infringement. The EFF argued that jailbreaking might make it possible for copyright infringement to occur but was not it itself infringement. They saw it as similar to making copies of your physical media. There are legit and non-legitimate reasons for doing it but that the act itself should be covered by fair use.
  • Reply 80 of 219
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KingOfSomewhereHot View Post


    Jailbreaking has never been illegal... this new "rule" changes nothing.



    Apple disagrees with you.
Sign In or Register to comment.