Why Jailbreaking Your Own iPhone Can Be Bad News – For You

by Jody Mitoma on September 2, 2009 at 11:38 am

Jailbreakers, beware:  Apple would like you just to leave your iPhones alone, thank you very much.  Unless, of course, you feel like buying some new Apps.  Recent word says that the jailbreaking – i.e., the modifying of iPhone software for the sake of upgrades – your iPhone might actually just cause you problems.

[iPhone Auctions] Yeah, you.  In a recent U.S. copyright filing, Apple apparently claims that the jailbreaking of iPhone operating systems leads to problems in the AT&T network, probably helping to explain the general unreliability network users have experienced.  If “general unreliability” sounds a little harmless, keep in mind that Apple is also making the case that jailbreaking could make it possible for users to crash cell phone towers.

Of course, you can see why AT&T wouldn’t like this.  But there may be more to the story.  Apple’s comments apparently also noted that the altering of the baseband processor (BBP) of the Apple is what would allow people to crash the towers.  Maybe not so coincidentally, “unlocking” the iPhone in this manner would also allow consumers to use networks other than AT&T.

Maybe “unlocking,” and not jailbreaking, is simply bad for business.

Potential Problems with Jailbreaking

Though “jailbreaking” sounds like something you’d do with a prison and not with a phone, it’s a relatively common practice.  According to Apple, this is the problem, saying jailbreaking can lead to crashes, freezes, disruption of applications like YouTube, problems with security, and even a shorter battery life.

Apple’s claims about the disruption of the AT&T network mean that the problems with jailbreaking wouldn’t be restricted to your iPhone alone.  This has lead many frequent “jailbreakers” to wonder about the real impact of their modifications to Apple’s software.

The Great Jailbreaking Debate

As Dong Ngo of CNet notes, hearing that jailbreaking can give other people problems – not just the jailbreakers – isn’t exactly fun news.

But there is a debate within the iPhone community about the validity of jailbreaking.  Some people believe that, like tricking out a car, modifying software that you purchased is something that comes with your rights as a consumer.  Others believe that the problems aren’t worth the benefits.

It will be interesting to watch the progress of the iPhone and how Apple interacts with the users who like to modify its contents.  There’s no doubt that consumers will always be looking for as much freedom as possible.

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