A coworker sent a note about a recent AppleInsider article that discuses new federal rules regarding people jailbreaking their iPhones. The article quotes the Associated Press, stating that the government approved several new exemptions. I’ve never really had a need to jailbreak an iPhone, but I have found Apple’s app approval process and control over how owners use their own phones frustrating, regardless of intent. Note that this doesn’t change anything about what Apple can or can’t do during software upgrades, releases, or support.
According to the AP article by Joelle Tessler, the government exemption rules include the following:
- Jailbreaking a phone in order to use a non-approved app
- Owners of used phones can bypass mechanisms in order to use phones on any network
- Educators and students can break copy-protection on DVDs for non-commercial use
- Allow vision-impaired users to bypass electronic locks on books in order to be read
- Bypass security dongles
I wonder if this will have ramifications in other parts of the technology, movie, or music industries, such as the recent Kaleidescape and RealDVD lawsuits.
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David says
All of this is for not, as Apple will lock down the device another way. Jailbreakers depend on the elite few who can “safely” jailbreak the iOS device in order to make it an open platform. This is becoming harder and harder to do….
Don’t even get me started on the App Store approval process. I have had several apps rejected to absurd reasons.
Hope all is well Owen!
David