With Apple’s release of the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK), developers will now be able to add the functionality that has been missing from Apple’s device since its release. However, through the unauthorized process of “jail breaking”, software developers have been able to develop and run third party software on their iPhones since its release. This raises the question on whether the underground community of iPhone hackers and developers will slowly die away or if it will continue.
For the first year after the iPhone was released, the only way to develop and to run third party applications and software was on a “jail broken” iPhone. Hackers found a way to bypass the software limitations of the iPhone, and through this process developers could run unauthorized software made specifically in the iPhone’s native format. Though these software applications are not authorized by Apple and “jail breaking” your iPhone will void its warranty, these third party applications have added a wide range of functionality to the iPhone that was previously unavailable. Things like instant messaging programs and to do lists which were previously unavailable, can now be installed on your iPhone and launched from the home screen.
However, with every new iPhone software release, Apple tried to fix the exceptions in its programming that allowed hackers to “jail break” their iPhones in the first place. But every time a hacker would find a new hole in Apple’s code and “jail breaking” could once again be done. But with the Apple’s iPhone SDK, the existence of the underground iPhone development community has been threatened. Is there any reason why hackers should continue to find ways to “jail break” their iPhones when an authorized development method has been created by Apple?
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