The ABCs of Jailbreaking.
by / December 30, 2013 12:10 AM EST
Hello iPhone users, as we know at iPhoneate, with each new jailbreak there are many who are jailbreaking for the first time, and the truth is that it's sometimes complicated to find all the information in one place. Here you will find all the basic information about jailbreaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxQEZmOJIwE
Before continuing, if you want to know absolutely everything about jailbreaking, you can click here to visit the iPhoneate glossary.
What is jailbreaking?
Jailbreaking is the process of unlocking an iPhone/iPod/iPad so that it can run any program or app not previously approved by Apple. The goal of jailbreaking is to install Cydia.
What is Cydia?
Cydia is an app created by the hacker Saurik where all the modifications for iOS (Tweaks) and apps created by people outside of Apple are gathered for easy installation and use.
What are Cydia Apps?
Cydia offers both tweaks and apps. These apps aren't available in Apple's official App Store because they add functionality to your device that Apple doesn't want you to have, such as watching movies and TV shows for free, or downloading music for free, etc.
What is a tweak?
A tweak is a small modification to the iDevices system (iOS) to make them do something that Apple did not originally plan them to do, such as having 5 icons in the iPhone Dock, turning on the camera light with the touch of a button, or simply making the icons do the Harlem Shake.
Is there a limit to the number of tweaks?
Yes, Cydia accepts up to a maximum of 65,535 packages. By default, Cydia comes with 40,000 packages. When you exceed the maximum limit, an error message appears and you can't do anything until you delete a repository (and therefore tweaks).
As for installed tweaks, there is no limit.
Is jailbreaking safe?
Yes, jailbreaking is completely safe, and believe it or not, it's completely legal.
But Apple doesn't like jailbreaking, which is why they go to great lengths with each iOS release to block the process of installing Cydia. The only thing Apple can do is void the warranty if you ever take your jailbroken device in for repair, but this can be easily fixed with a simple restore in iTunes. (This removes the jailbreak.)
Note that jailbreaking is legal, but installing apps and games without paying is illegal; this is piracy and is punishable by law.
Does jailbreaking slow down my device or use more battery?
Jailbreaking itself doesn't slow down the device or cause it to use more battery. What does slow it down or use more battery are the tweaks you install. Depending on their functionality and the number you have installed, this affects the performance of your iDevice.
Where do tweaks come from?
Tweaks come from people who like to program, and there is an immense variety of tweaks, ranging from changing the appearance of our device (a joke becomes something else), to its behavior, they also go to the illegal, such as tweaks to steal internet passwords, and to install games and Apps for free.
You can find tweaks in things called repositories.
What is a repository, Repo, or Source?
Well, repositories or sources are better known as repos, and there are many of them. They're run by people who collect tweaks so you don't have to search everywhere for a specific tweak. There are many, many of them, and they're added to Cydia. Repos are also added because some tweaks aren't free, but they are in some repos. If you want to see how to add a repo, click here. click here..
Why aren't the tweaks working for the new iPhone 5s?
Well, the iPhone 5s also has a new processor, but this time it's different because it's 64-bit (all previous models were 32-bit). Therefore, developers or tweak creators have to adapt their tweaks for this new processor in the 5s, which is also found in the iPad Air and iPad Mini Retina. It's just a matter of waiting for new tweaks to be released or for the old ones to be adapted.
