Funny- I've never jailbroken my iPod, but the iOS 4.0 completely ruined the usability, reliability and functionality of my device. The myriad issues happened directly after the upgrade, and my experience is mirrored by thousands of others who have reported at forums such as Apple Discussion Forum. It's been over a month since I had a fully functional device. Where is Apple's concern on that issue? Nowhere to be seen or heard. Apple's claim that jailbreaking is bad because it might lower the user experience in the midst of this is not an argument I find to be credible.
iPods and iPhones are computers, far more powerful than the desktop computer I had just 10 years ago. I come from a time when you bought a computer and you could do what you want with it. If the iDevices can be "ruined" with software then there is something very wrong with their design.
It has no moving parts, but maybe they could suggest overheating a battery?
It has such marginal plausibility.
Apple claims that this is about user experience. If user experience was important, it wouldn't be forbidden for me to downgrade my iOS back to 3.1.3, which was reliable and stable. If they cared about user experience, they'd let a person choose whether their iDevice could be mountable and open, or locked up in Apple's control system in the same way I can choose a simple or full Finder. The best user experience is having choices, and for the user to be able tune the openness of their device to suit their life and level of experience.
Apple is behaving as if they own the hardware, which is only an extension of their software. I would argue that we purchase hardware, and use software to utilize the capabilities of the hardware.
The second generation iPod contained a bluetooth-capable chip. This technology could have been utilized for many experience-enhancing functions. Instead, Apple did not include any way to use that chip beyond Nike+iPod, until a paid software update almost a year later. Still, they only allowed A2DP. They did not include the ability to use a bluetooth headset. They didn't allow bluetooth keyboards. These are just simple profiles. The chip is capable of it, and jailbreakers have these functions with no problem, but Apple does not include it. They gave bluetooth keyboard access to 3rd Gen devices with iOS 4 but blocked out 2nd gens. We already know the devices can do it with jailbreaking. Performance cannot be a real excuse since iOS 4 has devastated my 2nd Gen iPod and that so far is no concern to them.
The only computer systems I've ever had since the 70's are Apples. I am not an Apple "hater", but I'm not an Apple yes-man either. It seems these days Apple has a lot of customers who take everything that comes out of the Apple PR mouth as infallible, justifiable and unquestionable. I don't think that's a healthy attitude for anyone to have about a company. There needs to be critical thinking involved.
People are making comparisons between modding car engines and jailbreaking iDevices. Modifying software on a computer and making physical alterations to machinery or electronics are not analogous. Neither is the act of jamming a fork into a toaster comparable to modifying a computer's software for the purposes of increased functionality. Jailbreaking is to gain access to the full capabilities of a piece of hardware that is being artificially constrained by software. A fork in a toaster is a purposeless act of jackassery that can even cause death.
There is no reason that software should cause a device to quit working, unless Apple has designed it that way to scare or discourage people from using the hardware they own in ways Apple doesn't like.
If you want to make a car analogy, then how about if a car company put a program in the system computer to prevent the car from going over 50 miles per hour on the claim that the driver and passengers had a better user experience at lower speeds, despite the car's super charged V8 engine.
Also to those saying Apple never goes after anyone over jailbreaking on DMCA grounds, lest you not forget that not very long ago it was widely reported that Apple was lobbying to make it unlawful to jailbreak so that they would be able to do that very thing.
