Jailbreak!

So we all know about jailbreaking...we've all heard of it...I hope I'm not alienating anyone when I just assume this phrase has enterted (dork) vernacular?

It would seem as of yesterday, a heated (legal) debate broke out between Apple and EFF. If you can guess, Apple is very much, insanely, ridiculously opposed to the idea of allowing users to freely jailbreak their phones. The iPhone has seen tremendous success...but the point I always come back to is "When you can control hardware/software so ridiculously nazi tight, you'll always end up with the perfect product."

Microsoft's downfall it seems to be, is allowing their software to run on next to anything. Apple's downfall is not sharing anything with anyone. Strange how black and white this matter is and has been.

“It is my automobile at the end of the day,” said the EFF in reference that iPhone owners should be able to do whatever they want to their phones.

Apple's world of closed standards is what has resulted in monumental success for the iPhone since 2007. Apple has actually stated "Supporting jailbreaking would result in a tremendous amount of tech support phone calls that we don't want to, and wouldn't be able to support."

This is no doubt an interesting issue. Under a standard warranty model, if you break it and we don't say its covered under warranty, then you are hosed. However, I think in the same fashion Apple said "This is bootcamp, go ahead install Windows, but we aren't going to support Windows problems." They should also say "Here is the iphone, with several (or maybe one, possibly official) jailbreaking app. You will be able to do whatever you want on it, but we will not provide tech support to jailbroken phones."

I don't think breaks any business models. They are just as safe as they are in the Boot Camp/Windows game. I'm only saying they shouldn't brick the phone, just don't provide tech support. Simple. Follow your competitors advice, "Life Without Walls."