In this article, we will discuss some basic information on how to “jailbreak” and “unlock” an iPhone or iPod. Also, we will review the new decision, which was recently announced by the Library of Congress and offers a little peace-of-mind for those of us who may wish to jailbreak and/or unlock our iPhones.

First, let’s make the layperson aware of what a “jailbreak” is and what an “unlock” is.  They are often used interchangeably, but this is done so in error. Jailbreaking allows the iPhone user to download applications not approved by Apple.  If there is some application on your friend’s Blackberry or Android that you love, but Apple says you cannot download the application for one reason or another, jailbreaking your phone will remove this block.  An unlock allows you to use your iPhone on a carrier other than AT&T (the carrier must still be a GSM network, however, such as T-mobile).

Having got that out of the way, let’s discuss what has changed with the copyright laws. The U.S. Librarian of Congress ruled on Monday that “consumers who circumvent digital protections on smart-phones to install unapproved applications, a practice often colloquially known as ‘jailbreaking’ for non-infringing reasons should be exempted from prosecution under the anti-circumvention section of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)”. In plain English, that basically means that iPhone and iPod users can use any third-party software on our devices IF the software does not violate any piracy or copyright laws. Violating copyright laws or downloading pirated material is still illegal.  Apple doesn’t have to approve of the applications, but you still have to download them legally.

Unfortunately, Apple is still permitted to release updates with the protections on their software. This means we will always have the need to jailbreak our devices in order to use the software that Apple does not approve suitable for the App store. But now we know there is no legal ramification for simply jailbreaking our device. Let’s learn how to jailbreak!

The first step is to determine if your device is even acceptable to jailbreaking and unlocking. To determine this, please review the Jailbreaking Matrix. Once you can confirm that your device will accept a jailbreak, click on the link in the “Jailbreak Options” column within the matrix that corresponds with your device. Once you click on the correct link that corresponds with your device, instructions will appear which you should follow precisely.

Once you are done jailbreaking your device, you can now unlock it. Again, this allows the phone to be connected to different wireless carriers that support GSM networks. To do this, head back to the Jailbreaking Matrix website and follow the steps to determine if your current device and firmware version is acceptable to unlocking. Once you’ve confirmed that the device can be unlocked, click on the appropriate link in the “Unlock” column that will direct you to the steps on how to unlock the device.

Always keep in mind, jailbreaking your device WILL void the warranty. Also, if you cannot seem to figure this process out, most iPhone repair businesses are willing to do this for a small fee.

Jailbreak off the ’74 Jailbreak album.
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