Ride the Storm: Navigating Through Unstable Periods / Katerina Rudko (Belka G...
Why Jailbreak
1. Compare & Contrast
iPhone: Factory vs Jailbroken
Why Jailbreak?
Thank You,
Mark ‘Gates’ Progano
September 28th 2009
2. iPhone
An Internet-connected,
multimedia smartphone.
Lacking a physical keyboard,
the device uses a multi-touch
interface for the majority
of the device’s usage.
“Everything you love about iPhone.
Phone, iPod, and Internet device in one, iPhone 3GS
offers desktop-class email, an amazing Maps application,
and Safari — the world’s most advanced mobile web
browser. And your iPhone does even more when you
add apps from the App Store.” -Apple
3. The Beginning
The iPhone launch was very speculated, after
only two quarters the device seemed to be
growing in its popularity.Yet, the users in the
underground community started to want
more out of their devices, considering the
iPhone was the equivalent to a computer. only
a lot smaller Early hackers looked into
unlocking the device. Unlocking is defined as
removing the ‘lock’ to a certain carrier (in this
case AT&T) to use it with other carriers. In
order to do so, users also had to gain file
access, the ability to read and write to the
device, which is referred to as jailbreaking.
4. What happen to Apple...
• “Apple is not just a computer company: Apple is a movement. This concept was finally and truly
cemented in the public mindset when Apple carved itself a lasting place in the history of marketing
with its 1984 superbowl commercial for Macintosh.
Styled after the classic Orwellian distopia, 1984, this commercial was set in a future where all
aspects of individuality had been stamped out by the overlords, constantly vigilant, watching from
their television monitors.
• However, as time grew on, Apple's real stance on individual expression and "empowerment" in
particular, became clear: they are staunchly against it. Apple's insistence on controlling the
experience of their products sounds very similar to the "garden of pure ideology" expoused by
the Big Brother in their own commercial.
• This is why many of us (upwards of 10% of all iPhone users, in fact) "jailbreak" our devices: we
want choice. We believe that Apple has maintained its lead as the best mobile hardware platform
provider, and we encourage that innovation by purchasing not only their devices but also
numerous applications from their App Store; but, and this is important: we want more.”
- Jay Freeman (Saurik), One of the most well known iPhone developers and creator of Cydia, the
jailbreak answer to the App Store. Saurik also helped to develop of many of the most important
aspects of the jailbreak community.
5. Cat & Mouse
• And so the game of “Cat (Apple) and Mouse (3rd party)” began. The users
were looking for more out of their device and began to develop applications
for the iPhone, while Apple only allowed web applications, or apps that ran
in safari with very limited abilities over the internet. The jailbreak community
developed something called ‘Installer’ which used a repository system to
allow users to download 3rd party applications from their device.
(Installer app would later be successed by Cydia app, as the main installer application for jailbreak applications.)
• After much demand, Apple came out with the iPhone 3G, a faster device
that could handle 3rd generation wireless along with GSP and a few other
useful features that users had asked for. Some of these features came with a
firmware update, version 2.0. Now users could goto something, Apple called
the ‘App Store’, which also gave users the ability to install Apple approved
applications. These apps though useful where still limited.
6. iPhone (Factory)
• Factory, being only what is Apple approved, what comes on the phone
and is available in the App Store.
• By default, the iPhone has the following apps: Messages, Calendar, Photos,
Camera,Youtube, Stocks, Maps, Weather,Voice Memos, Notes, Clock,
Calculator, Settings, iTunes Store, App Store, and Compass. Docked at the
base of the screen, four icons for Phone, Mail, Safari, and iPod
• As of 9/28/09 the App Store:
“Just after reaching 1 billion downloads five months ago, Apple announced this morning that the
iPhone App Store has reached 2 billion downloads since its launch in July 2008. Also, Apple announced
that 85,000 apps are available to download or buy from the App Store, and there are now over
125,000 registered iPhone developers with the iPhone Developer Program.
These apps are available now to the 50 million devices running the iPhone OS (iPhone/iPod touch),
creating an ever-expanding group of users”
-The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
7. iPhone
(Jailbroken)
• Jailbroken being, normally, what Apple will not approve.
Developers of such apps look to Cydia to distribute their app.
• Apple doesn’t allow any applications that modify the existing
framework, or abstract design of a set of related applications, or
that Apple sees as unfit to its device or can go against their
agreement with AT&T or other companies. Apple tightly
controls certain aspects of the iPhone
• “All iPhones must be activated (assigned a number and carrier)
before most features become available. "Jailbreaking" allows
users to install apps not available on the App Store or modify
basic functionality. SIM unlocking allows the iPhone to be used
on a different carrier's network”
-Macworld
9. Jailbreak Saftey
• Apple is against jailbreaking
• Apple designs their products for the software working
with the hardware.
• Apple doesn’t support and states it ‘voids warranty’ but
realistically software cannot always physically effect
warranty problems
• The iPhone has the ability to ‘Restore’ or reinstall
the device’s firmware (like operation system) from:
• Normal Mode
• Restore Mode
• DFU (device firmware update) Mode
• These modes, as long as the device isn’t physically broken,
are all easily entered and therefore there can restore
the phone back to its original state if there ever was a
software problem. Jailbreaking is actually safe.
10. Apple’s Claims
• The company claims the process is illegal,
and goes as far as to say jailbreaking will
crash cellphone towers. So far these are
empty threats, although buyer beware:
Future court decisions, laws or FCC
regulations may put teeth into Apple’s
claims.
-Wired
11. Jailbroken Devices
• Let’s us do some math, 50 million iPhone/iPod Touches
running the OS including that of the App Store and
upwards of 10% of those devices are jailbroken that
would be 5 million. Some sources report over 15 million
devices have been jailbroken.
• Yet, Apple, being a large corporation is pressured with
contracts, legal, etc. to not support the jailbreak process
because if something bad where to happen, think
windows & virus, they would be responsible.
• Though many users are concerned about the safety of
jailbreaking their devices the iPhone Dev Team, the core
team by which exploits to jailbreak are found, along with
many other users have implemented safety with in their
own apps along with repo hosts checking apps before
allowing public access to them.
12. Disadvantages
• “[iPhoneSpies] get a lot of people asking us the disadvantages to
jailbreaking the iPhone or iPod Touch. After all, it seems too good to
be true? There is a very very slim chance that you can brick your iPhone or
iPod Touch (which basically means rendering it unresponsive). But those
are usually fixed by doing a reset (press and hold the home and sleep buttons
at the same time).You can then reinstall firmware [current version] and try
again. Doing the research might set you back 20 minutes or so and the whole
process might take another 15 minutes. If you ever take it back to Apple for
warranty, you probably don’t want them to see that you’ve jailbroken it so you
might spend another 10 minutes doing a firmware restore through iTunes to
set your iPhone or iPod Touch back to its original settings.”
-iPhoneSpies
• As you can see there isn’t much to it. Jailbreaking gives you the ‘more’ you
want with out you, the user, having to give up that much in return for it.
13. Why “Don’t Jailbreak”
• Please do yourself a favor, go to Google.com and type in
‘Do not jailbreak’ and see what comes up:
• Nothing.
• Why is this? Could it be that though the process might
be scary to some, it is virtually impossible to mess up
your device from jailbreaking alone.Yes, some tools can
break your device but those aren't around the ability to
‘brick’ or be as useless as a brick, your device is not
something that is in existence anymore. People have
learned and the process is clean. A simple restore that
more then 98% of users could do is the only thing
standing in your way, ever, from returning to factory state.
14. Then, Why Jailbreak?
• In its simplest form: Because you want More.
• You want to do what you’re capable of,
• NOT what your limited to.
• There are a bunch of developers in this
‘underground’ community who are making
jailbreaking more then a little hobby.
• These developers deserve more Thanks than
they are given and really are modeling the
community to make it what it is.
• Let’s explore some ‘reason of possibility’.
15. Reason #1
“This is just the “tip of the iceberg”.
There is so much more you can do.
You can have web content as your
background. [BigBoss] theme consists
of 350 images that rotate every 15
seconds in a slide show.You can even
have video playing as your wallpaper.”
-BigBoss
16. “So you turned off your WiFi or your 3G to Reason #2
save battery. Now you loaded Safari and it’s
loading slowly with EDGE. Do you close out
safari, open settings, traverse the menus and
reenable the 3g? Or do you just live with the
EDGE this time?
SBSettings solves this by providing fast toggles
by swiping your status bar. With SBSettings, you
just swipe your status bar, enable the WiFi or
3G, and resume safari where you left off. When
done, swipe again, and disable the battery
draining wifi or 3G options Notice also the
ability to add date and free memory to your
status bar? The processes button allows you to
free memory and kill backgrounded processes.
Simple! SBSettings is must have.”
-BigBoss
17. Reason #3
“The best feature of all
SMS apps is the quickreply.
When an incoming SMS
arrives, you normally have
to decide whether or not
you will quit your existing
app to respond or if you
will respond later. With
these apps, you get quick
reply. You can just reply,
on the spot, without
leaving your current app
or game.”
-BigBoss
18. Reason #4 Reason #5 Reason #6
There are now some fantastic Would you want to own a PC
springboard add-ons for iPhone. where only Dell decided what you
There are severe limitations These are OS level enhancements could do with it? Jailbreaking opens
imposed on AppStore apps. One of and are therefore, not allowed on your device up to you deciding
these is “no background processes.” AppStore. Those that do not have what to do with it.You can install a
This means that if you have an app, these are really missing out: BSD unix subsystem and SSH.You
such as an instant messenger app, can use a mobile terminal. It’s just
every time you press home to go like a real mini computer! I even
to something else, the app is closed SpotBright - Enhance your spotlight used iPhone SSH shell and iPhone
out.You are disconnected.You get with this add-on. It adds some key GCC to compile most the
no messages, no notification, features to spotbright: hidden app applications I released on this site!
nothing. search, custom web searches
(coming soon), last run app icons as
Backgrounder is an attempt to fix
this. Backgrounder allows you to
select an app that you want to
hot buttons.
Stacks - If you’re an OSX user, you
Reason #7
allow to run in the background. probably already know what this is.
The only way to unlock your
Then when you press home, that But it’s a neat way to put items
iPhone and put it onto another
app will keep running. Perfect for an onto your dock that you want to
carrier is by jailbreaking it. The
IRC app [or AIM] or such that you get to quickly and have them pop
unlocking apps will require system
do not want to get disconnected up in a cool menu.
level patching and activation all of
everytime you tap the home key.
Categories - This allows you to which can only be done via
This adds critical functionality that
make folders on your springboard jailbreaking.
you cannot get unless you jailbreak!
and move those pages of icons into
On 3gs, you have plenty of memory *Note also that you need not
folders. Think Games, Apps,
to use this fully! unlock to jailbreak. They are two
Networking, etc. Reduce Nine
separate things.
pages of apps down to just One!
-BigBoss
19. Verdict
• The iPhone is an amazing device with a few
different types of communities. Mainly there
are the ‘unground-like’ jailbroken iPhones
and the ‘mainstream’ factory iPhones.
Though they both can access a lot of
different types of information, applications,
etc. there is certain constraints that Apple
as a corporation allow themselves to be
confined to.
• Jailbreaking your device, will open up a whole
new possibly and easy some of those design
flaws that Apple may have over looked.
20. Now What?
• Go to the RottApp &
follow the Web Wizard!
• But something has gone wrong!
• Well if you remember IRC (Internet relay chat) there are
well over a hundred people willing to help, myself included.
• Forums - a very popular one is ModMyi
• Blogs - two major developers have blogs that offer a lot of
information from help to tutorials.
• BigBoss
• Saurik
21. Reference
• Apple Inc. www.Apple.com
• Macworld www.Macworld.com
• Wired www.Wired.com
• iPhoneSpies www.iPhoneSpies.com
• Saurik www.Saurik.com
• TheBigBoss www.thebigboss.org
• ModMyi www.modmyi.com
• iPhone Dev Team blog.iphone-dev.org
• RottApp www.rottapp.com