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Apple Bans Jailbreakers From the App Store
Hugh Pickens writes "Adam Mills writes in the Examiner that Apple has been cutting off access to the iTunes App Store for iPhone hackers and jailbreakers. Sherif Hashim, the iPhone developer who successfully hacked the iPhone OS 3.1.3 and unlocked the 05.12.01 baseband for iPhone 3GS and 3G devices, discovered he'd been cut off and twittered: '"Your Apple ID was banned for security reasons," that's what i get when i try to go to the app store, they must be really angry.' Another hacker, iH8Sn0w, who is behind the Sn0wbreeze tool, confirms that his account has also been deactivated even though iH8sn0w's exploit had only been revealed to Dev Team, the group responsible for the PwnageTool. 'It is kind of surprising that two people associated with jailbreaking have had this happen to them so soon after one another, but it's too early to say if this is a campaign that Apple is starting up,' writes Mills."
Jail-breaking facilitates piracy
I could possibly understand if app store apps were at crazy prices or forced you to bend over backwards in order to use them. But the majority of them cost, what, £5? Maybe £7 or £9?
Hi Apple! Been a big fan since I dumped Linux in '04 or so. I've really enjoyed MacOS X and my laptops. You sold me a good UNIX with support for Microsoft Office - which I need. But you know what? Ever since you started making money hands over fist with iTunes, you've started REALLY SUCKING as a company. I don't want to buy from you any longer. My next phone will NOT be an iPhone. My next laptop will NOT be another Macbook. I think I'll be perfectly happy with an unlocked Nexus and a laptop running FreeBSD. So... FUCK OFF, Apple. For me, your time has come and gone. -M
To be honest, I would rather have the choice of installing malware on a phone I own, than not having any choice at all. Guess that is why I have a G1. Do you really want a company to assume you are a moron, and hold you hand every time you want to use your device? If so, buy Apple.
"But this one goes to 11!"
Fixed.
"If you want to use a service, you have to play by that service's rules, unless in your outrage you find a cheaper, easier solution that costs the service profits."
I mean, let's not be idealistic here, this is what happens.
Except, not in this case. Apple doesn't make any notable profits from the iTunes Store. They have rules which make the App Store such an excellent experience (even with the occasional app that isn't allowed). That's the secret sauce of the App Store, and amazingly, all of the other stores are trying their hardest to *not* do that one thing that they could do to provide a similarly great user experience.
Of course, playing the logic out, Apple *is* protecting their profits of their iPhone and iPod touch by locking down their App Store, but they are not simply trying to protect their immediate profits, which is what you're getting at, and the same mistake far too many people make.
Apple doesn't steer you into the iTunes Store for profit, they steer you into the iTunes Store for the superior user experience, which leads to profit. The distinction is huge.
Well, what do you expect, from a company that allows the speeches of a known fascist and disallows any mention of their competition?