Jailbreaking jeopardy
Apple's bid to strictly regulate its iPhone apps has faced a setback as ‘jailbreaking' of mobile devices is declared legal.
While the Library of Congress has stated it is legal to ‘jailbreak' or override a phone's controls to run any ‘lawfully obtained' programmes, Apple has said the practice could void its iPhone's warranty, according to The New York Times.
The non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation had pushed the Library of Congress to grant an exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to allow jailbreaking.
While a lawyer at the digital rights group reportedly greeted the move as a ‘victory for iPhone owners,' Apple said jailbreaking and altering its phones encouraged piracy of applications.
Apple's desire to closely monitor the applications available via its App Store has been widely reported. The company has previously argued modified phones infringe on its copyrights as they use altered versions of its iOS. It said jailbreaking could also put iPhone users at increased risk of security problems and causes problems for its customer support staff.
Natalie Kerris, a spokeswoman for Apple told the newspaper: "Apple's goal has always been to ensure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone, and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we've said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones, as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably."
However, many iPhone owners want to gain access to unavailable apps and features. The jailbreaking decision could effectively open up Apple's platform for the tech-savvy.
Unapproved applications reportedly being snapped up by iPhone users include tools to sync video and music with a computer as well as another app that allows users to share their phone's internet connection with a computer, something some networks charge extra for.
Currently an underground network, app developers have reportedly greeted the jailbreaking decision with enthusiasm.
Mario Ciabarra, who runs software store Rock Your Phone, told the New York Times: "There's been some negative connotations with the jailbreak community. "That legitimacy will go a long way in terms of bolstering our business and the apps business."
In fact, Ciabarra said the jailbreaking decision could actually boost the iPhone's appeal, attracting consumers who were turned off by Apple's super protective stance on its apps and increase the competition with the increasingly popular open source Android platform.
Jailbreaker facilitators had reportedly feared the wrath of Apple, although the firm has not actively hunted down any websites or developers that help iPhone users adapt their mobiles.
With leaks, ‘antennagate' and now jailbreaking forcing Apple to relax its rules on applications, many analysts are waiting to see how the company will meet new challenges going forward.
