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iPad Jailbreaking Legalized

By | July 26, 2010 | 5 comments
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Earlier today, the Associated Press reported that the U.S. government announced new rules that legalize the act of jailbreaking a device to run an app that has been made incompatible by the manufacturer. In other words, it is up to the device owner to decide whether he/she wants to run third-party applications on the device or not – and that includes the iPad.

Apple – as well as many other device manufacturers – has never been fond of hackers trying to jailbreak iPhones, iPods and iPads, and thus far claimed that federal laws actually made jailbreaks illegal (Digital Millennium Copyright Act). However, the updated law includes a couple exemptions that make the act of jailbreaking devices legal – something that fell into a “gray area” until today.

Despite this ruling, jailbreaking your iPad is still considered a warranty-voiding act, and Apple has no plans to help users install third-party applications downloaded from outside its App Store. However, Apple will not be allowed to launch legal actions against hackers working on jailbreaks, or users who decide to download applications from third party stores such as Cydia.

Note that the new exemptions do not mean it is ok to download copyrighted material without paying for it.

About dag: Certified geek

  • Kelly Walker

    WARRANTY VOIDING???? I have a toaster warranty!! I jailbroke my 3gs in about 3 minutes with Spirit online for free. I have used MyWiFi for 8 months for free! It has always worked with my ipad and I will never go back. My ipad would be almost useless without the jailbroken iphone and now it has completely replaced my laptop. Now I go to the ipad first and don’t have to get eye strain with my iphone. Everything I have is from Apple, 2 iphones, 5 ipods, 2 iMacs, ipad, and Apple TV, I’d buy a car if it said Apple. But even I, with all my belief in the products, roll my eyes at the restrictions. The rules remind me of my military life: many, many rules and all arbitrary. $30 dollars a month to tether and it will not connect to an ipad? Bull-get it for free and use it with the best mobile platform ever invented.
    However, with all that, I will not buy another Apple product that comes locked to AT&T. Don’t get me started on those bums….

  • http://www.ifunia.weebly.com stonee

    This’s good news to the company, like ifunia, which are dedicated in creating affordable and easy multimedia software for digital fans.

  • http://ranggaw0636.student.ipb.ac.id ranggaw0636

    it’s good enough as long as i could jailbreak my iphone without worries

  • Michael Hall

    Magnussen-Moss Act of 1975 covers the warranty issue. Apple would have to prove that the “jail-breaking” action was consequential in the failure of its device in order to deny warranty coverage. Well, at least it covers US consumers; that is the target audience of this article, right?

  • http://www.pedalthrottlerepeat.com 2wheel_Ted

    I see jailbreaking as similar to traveling outside of your home country, but purposely destroying and dumping your passport for whatever personal motivations once your abroad. It’s all fine and good, but don’t expect open arms at your country’s local embassy abroad should you need their assistance in helping you out of trouble.

    Similarly, you can choose not to wear you seatbelt, but don’t be an ass and bitch about safety design flaws after you get into an accident and smash your face into the windshield.

    I agree that their shouldn’t be punishment for jailbreaking devices, but doing so should void all respective warranties and services of the product’s manufacturer. It’s cool, but your on your own.