Jailbreaking vs. Pirating: What's The Difference?

Time and time again, I hear someone make a comment stating that jailbreaking is illegal, or that pirating and jailbreaking are the same thing. These are two very different things, and hopefully this article will help clear up any confusion. Note: I understand that many users know the difference. This article is aimed at those who do not have a good grasp of these two concepts. What is jailbreaking? Is it legal? Jailbreaking is the process of gaining root level control of an iDevice and accessing its command line in order to make modifications, remove limitations, and customize the device. This allows users to:

Install applications not found/allowed in the App Store.
Make modifications to the Springboard, as well as the OS.
Customize the device with themes.

Under the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) of 2010, jailbreaking is legal. Apple claims that it voids your warranty, but the process is easily reversible. What is pirating? Is it legal? Pirating is the copying, distributing, or downloading of unauthorized software, which in this case includes applications as well as music and movies. This allows users to essentially install any application for free. This is definitely illegal, and all users should refrain from any contact with Cydia applications such as Installous, dTunes, and MobileCinema MobileTheatre. Now that you understand these are two very different concepts, what does it mean? Well, if you are interested in jailbreaking, be sure to check out our "Why Jailbreak" articles to learn more about the applications and features that you can install to make your iPhone even better. Jailbreaking is completely at your own risk, although I have never once experienced any problem with any device I have jailbroken. As for pirating, I encourage all readers to stay far, far away from this. Pirating is a crime and could lead to many serious consequences if you're caught, and it just isn't worth it.

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