iPhone users have been ‘jailbreaking’ their phones since the release of the original iphone, but now, German government officials fear that hackers will take advantage of the technology. Because the latest jailbreak targets the iPhone iOS, Apple has responded strongly. Because iPhone users could now be infected with a virus simply by clicking on a PDF that was written to include a malicious code, virtually every Apple product is susceptible.
App developers have long asked Apple to allow them the right to create programs that address the company’s shortcomings, but Steve Jobs and others have repeatedly shot them down. The fact that the newest version of the iPhone will be coming with technology that prevents concert goers from recording footage with the iPhone is more than enough to indicate where Apple’s real loyalties lie. Although there have been no reports of a virus outbreak, iPhone owners have been instructed to avoid downloading the newest jailbreak program.
Consumers that use the jailbreak software are not able to have their iPhones fixed by authorized dealers because the program can essentially void their warranties. They will also have a harder time getting access to vital software updates. Owners of the iPhone who have not accessed the jailbreak software are still vulnerable. Currently, technology experts are actually suggesting that they should download the jailbreak software, and then use a security patch in order to fix the potential security breech. It will probably be only a few days before Apple comes up with a permanent solution, but this latest debacle goes to show that even technology industry leaders can be imperfect.
