Apple: Jailbreaking May Still Void iPhone Warranty

[MacRumors]

Cult of Mac reports that Apple has issued an official response to today's ruling by the Copyright Office of the U.S. Library of Congress to create an exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) permitting users to jailbreak their iPhones or other smartphone devices in order to install unauthorized applications. Little has changed with the new decision, according to Apple, as jailbroken iOS devices are still subject to having their warranties voided.

Apple's goal has always been to insure 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.

The apparent discrepancy comes from the fact that the Library of Congress decision today simply means that users can not be charged with violations of the DMCA for jailbreaking their iOS devices, a tactic Apple had never bothered to employ in attempting to squash the practice. Apple remains free, however, to discourage users by other means, including voiding product warranties due to violations of the terms and conditions all users must agree to before using their devices and software.

Article Link: Apple: Jailbreaking May Still Void iPhone Warranty

 

[ouimetnick]

Until Apple gives us the features we want, jailbraking will exist. Some iPhone owners want themes. Some folks don't like Apple's lies. MMS works o the Original iPhone, and so does video recording and multitasking. saying the hardware won't support it is BS, so jailbreaking is here to solve that problem.

 

[ravenvii]

"The federal government says jailbreaking's a-ok? Well it'll void your warranty! So there!"

lol. Apple needs to shut up for a couple months and release some new products, because their PR is not doing themselves any favors lately.

 

[bbplayer5]

Why cant Apple just say: "We warn our customers that Jailbreaking might degrade the Phone's performance and to do so at their own risk"... Instead they throw out made up numbers and reasons that are incredibly ridiculous.

Apple is really starting to turn me off.

 

[Consultant]

Until Apple gives us the features we want, jailbraking will exist. Some iPhone owners want themes. Some folks don't like Apple's lies. MMS works o the Original iPhone, and so does video recording and multitasking. saying the hardware won't support it is BS, so jailbreaking is here to solve that problem.

Ever heard of email?

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

Cult of Mac reports that Apple has issued an official response to today's ruling by the Copyright Office of the U.S. Library of Congress to create an exception to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) permitting users to jailbreak their iPhones or other smartphone devices in order to install unauthorized applications. Little has changed with the new decision, according to Apple, as jailbroken iOS devices are still subject to having their warranties voided.The apparent discrepancy comes from the fact that the Library of Congress decision today simply means that users can not be charged with violations of the DMCA for jailbreaking their iOS devices, a tactic Apple had never bothered to employ in attempting to squash the practice. Apple remains free, however, to discourage users by other means, including voiding product warrantees due to violations of the terms and conditions all users must agree to before using their devices and software.

Article Link: Apple: Jailbreaking May Still Void iPhone Warranty

warrantee: a customer to whom a warrant or guarantee is given

warranty: a written assurance that some product or service will be provided or will meet certain specifications

 

[iPhoneHome]

Apple actually refers to this act as "jailbreaking"? *shocked

EDIT: Hold Up?!? Apple actually refers to this act as "jailbreaking"???

 

[Consultant]

Why cant Apple just say: "We warn our customers that Jailbreaking might degrade the Phone's performance and to do so at their own risk"... Instead they throw out made up numbers and reasons that are incredibly ridiculous.

Apple is really starting to turn me off.

What made up numbers? Cydia creator says less than 10% jailbreak.

 

[Mac-Michael]

Surprise, surprise!!

 

[iBookG4user]

This isn't surprising at all, Apple will never condone jailbreaking.

 

[BeyondtheTech]

I just want custom SMS and email tones... I'm surrounded by iPhone users and we all grab our devices when a message comes in. Grrrr.....

C'mon, Jobs.... Is it soooo hard to implement into 4.1? Four generations already!

 

[iMaconApple]

i gave them the money... so now i can do what i want it..dont tell me what i cant do with it..its mine and ill use it any way i want..

 

[WannaGoMac]

Until Apple gives us the features we want, jailbraking will exist. Some iPhone owners want themes. Some folks don't like Apple's lies. MMS works o the Original iPhone, and so does video recording and multitasking. saying the hardware won't support it is BS, so jailbreaking is here to solve that problem.

Exactly. Some of the apps in Cydia do things I wish Apple allowed. The ones I used I really enjoy and have no ill effects nor battery loss issues. If Apple allowed these things I wouldn't jailbreak.

 

[Consultant]

i gave them the money... so now i can do what i want it..dont tell me what i cant do with it..its mine and ill use it any way i want..

Not saying Jailbreak is bad, but
You can also stick a fork down a powered toaster. It's yours and do whatever you want with it.

 

[JosephBergdoll]

Though Apple SAYS it'll void your warranty, Apple stores generally don't care if your phone is jailbroken or not, unless you come to them with a software related issue.

 

[nagromme]

Until Apple gives us the features we want, jailbraking will exist. Some iPhone owners want themes. Some folks don't like Apple's lies. MMS works o the Original iPhone, and so does video recording and multitasking. saying the hardware won't support it is BS, so jailbreaking is here to solve that problem.

Nobody says the “hardware doesn’t support it.” If that were true, it wouldn’t happen. What “lies” are you imagining Apple has told here? “Supporting” and “supporting reliably” are not the same thing. Older hardware truly DOES have less RAM and CPU power.

Apple says it MAY harm performance and cause crashes. That’s very true. It may. App developers complain about jailbreak-caused crashes (which then make the jailbreakers rate the app low). These JB modifications use RAM, and RAM is very tight on some iOS models. So of COURSE there will be an effect from that. And Apple won’t be responsible for solving those crashes if they happen. Why should they be? If Apple supported jailbreaking, it would be a nightmare from them. And Apple would get the blame for resulting problems (slowdowns, crashes). So if they can’t please you no matter what, at least they won’t pay the bill for your tech support

This makes perfect sense. If you can reverse your modification, Apple will never know, and your warranty is intact. If your modification is irreversible, then of course Apple won’t spend time/money fixing your problems. That’s standard with any product. Take heart: many kinds of failures would result in a warranty swap before any kind of check is done anyway.

Apple has not said jailbreaking ALWAYS voids your warranty. They have said it CAN. What could be more fair? Should they say, “no matter what, we’ll promise to fix any problems with your self-modified system”?

People have a knee-jerk reaction against Apple (well... against a lot of things!) with no need to stop and check the real facts and reasons

I support jailbreaking but I certainly won’t expect Apple to spend time/money on me if I choose to ignore their warnings.

 

[Amdahl]

I don't think you can void a warranty unless some particular damage was caused by the person that isn't covered. Violating 'terms and conditions' would not be enough. The jailbreaking would have to have caused some damage, and then Apple could refuse to fix that damage.

 

[GreyHare]

In other news, it is not illegal to buy a car, go to Home Depot, buy paint, and paint the car yourself if the dealer won't sell you a car with the color you want.

There is also no law stating that the dealer must perform body work on your car should it get damaged after you have done this. You, at the very least, have no expectation that the paint will match on said body work if the dealer cuts you some slack.

Apple's refusal to support third-party hacks is not even close to "breaking balls". Seriously, chill.

U.S. Government is playing Captain Obvious again. Nothing to see here, people. Please move along.

 

[japanime]

I wonder if Apple will fire the person who wrote the press release for using the word "insure" when it should have been "ensure."

 

[KnightWRX]

"The federal government says jailbreaking's a-ok? Well it'll void your warranty! So there!"

lol. Apple needs to shut up for a couple months and release some new products, because their PR is not doing themselves any favors lately.

Modding my bike is perfectly legal, after all, I bought it. But you really think Harley Davidson is going to warranty repair my S&S engine ? Or revalve my progression suspension if it gives out ? No, the 3rd parties will, but it's their parts.

Heck, if I install a 3rd party air cleaner, or even Harley's own but don't follow their guidelines of flashing the ECU with a stage 1 download, you think they'll warranty the snapped rod or cracked piston sleeve from the detonation that occurred after a lean condition ? Of course they won't.

Warranties are there for manufacturing defects. If you dick around with the device, you're going to have to take the company to court to get warranty repairs. Magnusson-Moss unfortunately doesn't work with magic, it works with courts and lawyer fees. And you're not garanteed to win because let's face it, your mod might just be responsible for your trouble.

 

[likemyorbs]

Just restore your phone before you bring it in for repair. Problem solved. No one will check if it was ever jailbroken, the geniuses could care less if it's a hardware related issue. Beside the fact that any time i had to get my iphone serviced it was because the phone completely failed and wouldnt turn on and had to be replaced, so obviously they were unable to check the software on it anyway. But really who gives a crap what apple wants and doesn't want? it's your device, do whatever the hell you want.

 

[Consultant]

In other news, it is not illegal to buy a car, go to Home Depot, buy paint, and paint the car yourself if the dealer won't sell you a car with the color you want.

There is also no law stating that the dealer must perform body work on your car should it get damaged after you have done this. You, at the very least, have no expectation that the paint will match on said body work if the dealer cuts you some slack.

Apple's refusal to support third-party hacks is not even close to "breaking balls". Seriously, chill.

U.S. Government is playing Captain Obvious again. Nothing to see here, people. Please move along.

Exactly. In addition, Apple has never strictly enforced the rule.

 

[xxgilxx]

I understand where these people are coming from. However the question is: did the US government created the iphone? NO did they own it in any way? NO
Stop sticking your noses where you have no business US Gov!

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I wouldn't jailbreak my iPhone. I had a Windows Mobile phone and it was a complete piece of crap so I know that a hacked phone doesn't work well... ;-)

I couldn't get messaging to work, email to work, and the phone had to be shutdown and restarted frequently.

Some people might think that jail breaking their iPhone is worth it, but I have the quaint idea that the cell phone should work rather than be a glitzy piece of crap on my belt that is more worthless than a brick...

 

[likemyorbs]

Modding my bike is perfectly legal, after all, I bought it. But you really think Harley Davidson is going to warranty repair my S&S engine ?

Hardware and software are two very different things. If i open my iphone and install a mod chip in it, yes that should void my warranty. If something goes wrong with your iphone hardware, its NOT because of a software modification. therefore, the warranty should still be valid, and long as you're not complaining about a software issue.