I have been pondering this question: Is Apple doing something illegal by trying to stop jailbreaking? Jailbreaking was just OK'ed by the government, so Apple is breaking the law, right?
I have been pondering this question: Is Apple doing something illegal by trying to stop jailbreaking? Jailbreaking was just OK'ed by the government, so Apple is breaking the law, right?
This has been discussed to death. The basics:
while it's legal to do, does not mean Apple may not take steps to prohibit you from doing it. E.g. it's legal to smoke cigarettes provided you are over 18, but a restaurant may bar you from their dining room area if you smoke.
The ruling just said that jailbreaking is not in violation of the DMCA. It stated nothing else about other laws it could possibly break and did not grant it any other special exemptions. It basically stated what had been known all along.
The only thing the new rule does is clarify that it is not copyright infringement to jailbreak your iOS device (or rooting other devices). Basically, Apple can't sue you for jailbreaking by claiming it as breaking copyright. Apple still has every right to prevent jailbreaking since iOS is their software platform.
The FCC just took a position that it deems it legal under current laws. Doesn't mean it can't be tested or new laws enacted. All it means is men with guns won't put you in a cage. It doesn't apply to what Apple may or may not do.