When you first get an iPhone, you are blown away by the amount of features. A computer in your pocket, a portable gaming device, a navigational GPS device, and even a weather predictor. However, eventually you may want more.
If you are familiar with Apple and their products (Namely the Mac Computers and iPod/iPhone/iPad devices), then you know how restrictive they are. While OS like Linux allow for major modifications, iOS (the iPhone OS) is kept under lock and key. You can only access Apple-approved Apps, and can not modify any of the firmware of the iPhone. For those hardcore hackers out there (or even just curious persons), this is not enough. Some esteemed hackers released the answer: The Jailbreak.
"Jailbreaking" your i-Device involves reprogramming the device's firmware to allow for installation of 3rd Party, non Apple-approved apps. This gives you access to the Cydia store. Cydia is basically the black market version of the App Store. Almost nothing is restricted here and the hated 1-2 week update period is not enforced within Cydia.
Now, a big question is this: Is jailbreaking even legal? The answer is, Yes. Much to Apple's protest, the United States allows jailbreaking to be done without ever breaking any law.
But what jailbreaking DOES do is void your warranty. Although it is technically possible to revert to an old state, you probably should not jailbreak if you want to maintain your warranty.
Here's the Pros/Cons of Jailbreaking for those of you on the edge.
Pros:
Allows purchase/download of 3rd party apps allowing features not accepted or endorsed by Apple.
Lack of 1-2 week update period.
Lets hackers mess with their iPhone's electronic guts to modify it.
Can rollback software upgrades.
Themes
Cons:
Voids Warranty on your device. If you break it, well, I feel bad for you.
*Small* possibility of installing a malicious app. Pretty much any app is accepted to Cydia. It is possible that a virus or such might make it in. However, the chance of this is microscopic as people can report viruses to Cydia and have them quickly removed. I have never had a virus from a Cydia app or known a friend who has, so this is a very minor and unlikely issue. I felt I had to mention it, though.
If you happen to unplug your device during the jailbreak process you could "Brick" it. Bricking is a general term for accidentally breaking your iPhone by an incomplete firmware modification, etc. Unplugging your iPhone during the firmware modification could turn your iPhone into an expensive brick, hence the name.
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any harm caused to your device due to jailbreaking.
If you don't plan on jailbreaking, you can close this page. The rest of this is just tips and guidelines on how to actually do it, as it can be confusing from time to time.
If you do, I have some useful tips for you.
First of all, find out what your iDevice's iOS Version is. You will also need to know what model your device is (iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPod Touch 2G, etc). Now, plug this into Google: "How to jailbreak [Insert model] [Insert device] with [Insert iOS Version]". I would love to give you the perfect jailbreaker but there are dozens of them. Each one is geared towards certain iOS versions or devices, so find one that works for you.
REMEMBER: If anyone offers you a paid jailbreak software, IT IS A SCAM! All Jailbreak programs are developed for free use by anyone for no profit. Paying for a jailbreak program is just wasting money.
Plug your iDevice into your Computer. Open up your download and run the correct file. Follow the on screen instructions, and remember: DO. NOT. UNPLUG. I am not responsible for any damage caused by unplugging your device during the process. This CAN and WILL break your Phone, and it's possibly it will be permanent. Just leave it in, if you change your mind you can always reverse the jailbreak later.
Once finished, make sure it really is finished to avoid the dreaded brick. Then, reboot your device and enjoy.
To get Cydia, open the new Loader app you see on your home screen and click download Cydia.
Here's a couple things you can do with your new hacked device:
Themes. Themes will change the graphics of your app icons and backgrounds. You can find loads of free themes in Cydia. Below is "Atomic Glow".
Apps. Like I said before, lots of fun and useful apps. Here's some recommendations.
Fake Location: Simple free app that fakes your location. If you live in America you can use this app to tell all your other apps that you live in Svalbard or the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Good for privacy.
Firewall IP: Once installed, it will begin to run in the background whenever you open an app. When an app tries to access something from the device (Files, Maps, Location, etc.), Firewall will open a popup telling what the app wants to access. You can then deny, allow, or always allow. It's great for seeing what those apps really do... Why should an arcade game need to know your location?
Tracking: I actually don't use this, but I feel it deserves a mention. There are lots of tracking apps out there that will literally allow you to track ANYTHING another iPhone does. All you do is install the the tracker on the device you wish to track (They can run incognito) and you can view every Text message, Voicemail, Keystroke typed, picture taken, and the location of the phone at any time. The plus side of this allows you to track down a thief and take pictures of him remotely, or wipe your device if you can't get it back. The really creepy side of this app is that you can track everything it does. Although it would require a lot of effort, getting this app on your phone would let the owner of the tracker see EVERY LITTLE THING you do.
PanicRoom: App for the paranoid part of all of us. Allows you to quickly wipe pretty much everything from browser data to WiFi networks at any time.
Activator: One of the best apps. Allows you to program what patterns do what. So, with this app I can make the home button turn off the device instead of taking me to the home screen and instead link Home Screen to the volume button.
Over a thousand Utilities: Utilities let you mod your iPhone in every way possible. I can't even begin to list them all, but a notable one allows you to add an extra app to your dock.
SBSettings: App that lets you access your Settings function and more from a quick drop down menu.
Future Mail: Pretty useless I'll admit, but a fun addition. This app lets you send a message to any email address anytime in the future. It can be used as a time capsule device.
That's all for now, I hope that this enlightened you on the concept of jailbreaking.
Questions? Use the comment function!
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