Most here don’t have the slightest idea what jb is about - and how it still pales stock iOS.
Never mind - keep safe in the walled prison ehh.. garden
Please do enlighten us. But while you collect your thoughts, also tally up the number of apps you “sampled” just because you could...
You just proved his point. You assumed the point of jailbreaking is to steal apps. True, you could do that, but there are better reasons to jailbreak. I never did pirate, so my tally is zero.
Back when I used to take the time to do it, I loved SBSettings and LockInfo. Back then, they added features like a pull down menu for settings and tons more information on the Lock Screen. Sound familiar? Yeah, Apple has incorporated most of those things in iOS now, but back then they were not existent.
A quick look at some of the apps shows there are many that do (to me) cool tweaks and settings that Apple still doesn't offer in the walled prison (I like that Latko) and would never allow a 3rd party developer to add as it might somehow sully their vision of the pristine iOS experience for the masses. So much for tinkerers and crazy ones "thinking differently."
I’m reading some of the comments and want to set the record straight on a few things:
Security: I don’t think security on a jailbroken device is compromised - whatever flaw allowed a program to exit the jail - exists inherent in all devices with the same version of iOS. In some cases I’ve even seen patches released via Cydia to close the holes.
Motivation: some people use it to install cracked software.
But there are those who jailbreak on principle (and pay for all their software). The principle is that iPhone and iPad are computers, and we purchased them as such, but they don’t live up to that definition because they are missing a key component: a compiler.
Computers are defined as general purpose machines that do computational work. The key being “general purpose”, which means you have to have some way of changing the purpose to suit you.
A very smart toaster, or internet connected garage door opener - doesnt doesn’t qualify as a computer. They lack some way to do input and output and a compiler to turn source code into a program.
So if iPhone wants to be a computer, it ought to have the tools on it necessary to create programs that can be launched from the home screen (not simply bookmarks to a web app). And not requiring you to wait while they compile and run only inside Playgrounds. They ought to be first-class programs like all the built in or App Store purchased ones.
Apple has intentionally omitted those tools for iOS. Even though the latest iPad is more powerful than 90+ percent of all shipped personal computers in the last year (including most of Apple’s), it still lacks anything like Xcode.
You need to buy a Mac to write a real program for iOS. So that means that iOS devices aren’t real computers? What a shame! At $1000 they cost more than most of the personal computers shipped last year.
Jailbreaking is currently the only way out of that trap.
iOS has some built-in code to prevent tampering. The two major forms of which are running a "locked" phone on a different network, and running unsigned code (i.e. apps not from the app store). Jailbreaking removed that restriction.
The carrier lock thing is kind of moot now that you can buy unlocked phones, frankly I find it kind of weird that locked phones are still even being made.
As for unsigned apps, anyone with an XCode developer account can compile and install their own apps, so I think that addresses the needs of the OSS and fringe types. Although that doesn't enable tinkering with the OS itself… one of the more popular Cydia things from the iOS 6 days was a notification widget, a few years before Apple got that feature baked.
It’s a surefire way to weaken the security of your iPhone by installing hacked and malware-ridden apps.
Oh please, just because Apple has not blessed something does not mean it is "hacked and malware-ridden". Even when they do bless it, sometimes it is still malware-ridden and gets published in the app store, as history has shown. There are many, many examples of great apps both on macOS and iOS. Perfectly decent apps that Apple would never approve for their stores because it doesn't meet their arbitrary definition of ... whatever.
You'd think since the dawn of computers that just because there wasn't an Apple App Store everything was malware and the invention of it has heralded some "golden age of computing" by some of these misinformed comments. Believe me, life before Apple's App Store was just fine and will be long after.
It’s a surefire way to weaken the security of your iPhone by installing hacked and malware-ridden apps.
Oh please, just because Apple has not blessed something does not mean it is "hacked and malware-ridden". Even when they do bless it, sometimes it is still malware-ridden and gets published in the app store, as history has shown. There are many, many examples of great apps both on macOS and iOS. Perfectly decent apps that Apple would never approve for their stores because it doesn't meet their arbitrary definition of ... whatever.
You'd think since the dawn of computers that just because there wasn't an Apple App Store everything was malware and the invention of it has heralded some "golden age of computing" by some of these misinformed comments. Believe me, life before Apple's App Store was just fine and will be long after.
Stop spreading misinformation.
Nonsense. I remember clearly the numerous articles that would race through the media about some iPhone security breach, only for that article to later state that it affected only jailbroken iPhones. This happened numerous times for years, with those “breaches” being published right here on AI as well.
I'd take that back if, for a developer, Jailbreaking enabled lower-level access to APIs. For example, I'd love to be able to play with the IR dot projector + sensor used by FaceID.
It does. The only way to get decent wifi diagnostics is via jailbreak
Most here don’t have the slightest idea what jb is about - and how it still pales stock iOS.
Never mind - keep safe in the walled prison ehh.. garden
Please do enlighten us. But while you collect your thoughts, also tally up the number of apps you “sampled” just because you could...
Have a look at all the Cydia repo’s yourself for UX enhancements that Apple refuses to implement (next to pirated crap that lower spirits like yours seem to be anxious for)
It’s a surefire way to weaken the security of your iPhone by installing hacked and malware-ridden apps.
Oh please, just because Apple has not blessed something does not mean it is "hacked and malware-ridden". Even when they do bless it, sometimes it is still malware-ridden and gets published in the app store, as history has shown. There are many, many examples of great apps both on macOS and iOS. Perfectly decent apps that Apple would never approve for their stores because it doesn't meet their arbitrary definition of ... whatever.
You'd think since the dawn of computers that just because there wasn't an Apple App Store everything was malware and the invention of it has heralded some "golden age of computing" by some of these misinformed comments. Believe me, life before Apple's App Store was just fine and will be long after.
Stop spreading misinformation.
Nonsense. I remember clearly the numerous articles that would race through the media about some iPhone security breach, only for that article to later state that it affected only jailbroken iPhones. This happened numerous times for years, with those “breaches” being published right here on AI as well.
It was real. Don’t make it sound like it was not.
No, try to read what I wrote again slowly and carefully so that you understand it. I never said it didn't happen, did I? Perhaps you didn't read this carefully either: "Even when they do bless it, sometimes it is still malware-ridden and gets published in the app store, as history has shown."
That was also posted many times right here on Ai and recently, I might add. That was real too.
And I'm not just speaking about iPhones. You'll note I said "dawn of computers" - there wasn't always an App Store for iOS or macOS - and we got along just fine without it, a point which you also seemed to have missed.
Jailbreaking was supporting your old devices. Thatnk to that community you could run GPS with apps and dongle on iPod Touch 1Gen. and other devices. Some people turned their Apple devices into utilities and kept running without forced and stranged sometimes policies by Apple. Bear in mind that this loss is real.
Getting Apple’s latest security updates have been 1000x more important than avoiding the “Apple Tax” from the App Store (or other Mods).
If I wanted to play Russian Roulette with my security I’d use an Android device...
That is short sighted conclusion. What security on dedicated utility device? Start thinking. Not everything is phone or communicator. Cydia supported WiFi devices that did noyt have anything to do with phones. Some popel do not store sensitive information or allow access via some devices. Some of people on this forum were learning about Apple hwile some of us were already running Apple enterprise fot living. I used iPod Touch as music device and wanted it for GPS (which was possible with dongle and jailbreaking) before Apple even thought about making phone itho GPS. What security on device that plays music and runs as GPS? Yes your grandpa's radio needs security patch. Stop drinking coolaid.
Comments
Back when I used to take the time to do it, I loved SBSettings and LockInfo. Back then, they added features like a pull down menu for settings and tons more information on the Lock Screen. Sound familiar? Yeah, Apple has incorporated most of those things in iOS now, but back then they were not existent.
A quick look at some of the apps shows there are many that do (to me) cool tweaks and settings that Apple still doesn't offer in the walled prison (I like that Latko) and would never allow a 3rd party developer to add as it might somehow sully their vision of the pristine iOS experience for the masses. So much for tinkerers and crazy ones "thinking differently."
Security: I don’t think security on a jailbroken device is compromised - whatever flaw allowed a program to exit the jail - exists inherent in all devices with the same version of iOS. In some cases I’ve even seen patches released via Cydia to close the holes.
Motivation: some people use it to install cracked software.
But there are those who jailbreak on principle (and pay for all their software). The principle is that iPhone and iPad are computers, and we purchased them as such, but they don’t live up to that definition because they are missing a key component: a compiler.
Computers are defined as general purpose machines that do computational work. The key being “general purpose”, which means you have to have some way of changing the purpose to suit you.
A very smart toaster, or internet connected garage door opener - doesnt doesn’t qualify as a computer. They lack some way to do input and output and a compiler to turn source code into a program.
So if iPhone wants to be a computer, it ought to have the tools on it necessary to create programs that can be launched from the home screen (not simply bookmarks to a web app). And not requiring you to wait while they compile and run only inside Playgrounds. They ought to be first-class programs like all the built in or App Store purchased ones.
Apple has intentionally omitted those tools for iOS. Even though the latest iPad is more powerful than 90+ percent of all shipped personal computers in the last year (including most of Apple’s), it still lacks anything like Xcode.
You need to buy a Mac to write a real program for iOS. So that means that iOS devices aren’t real computers? What a shame! At $1000 they cost more than most of the personal computers shipped last year.
Jailbreaking is currently the only way out of that trap.
The carrier lock thing is kind of moot now that you can buy unlocked phones, frankly I find it kind of weird that locked phones are still even being made.
As for unsigned apps, anyone with an XCode developer account can compile and install their own apps, so I think that addresses the needs of the OSS and fringe types. Although that doesn't enable tinkering with the OS itself… one of the more popular Cydia things from the iOS 6 days was a notification widget, a few years before Apple got that feature baked.
You'd think since the dawn of computers that just because there wasn't an Apple App Store everything was malware and the invention of it has heralded some "golden age of computing" by some of these misinformed comments. Believe me, life before Apple's App Store was just fine and will be long after.
Stop spreading misinformation.
It was real. Don’t make it sound like it was not.
That was also posted many times right here on Ai and recently, I might add. That was real too.
And I'm not just speaking about iPhones. You'll note I said "dawn of computers" - there wasn't always an App Store for iOS or macOS - and we got along just fine without it, a point which you also seemed to have missed.