The Electra Tool Is Out. But Here’s Why iPhone Jailbreaking Is A Terrible Idea

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A lot of iOS device users don’t like the restrictions imposed by Apple on their devices. That’s the primary reason iPhone jailbreaking has become a common phenomenon. Just a few days ago, developer CoolStar released the updated Electra tool to liberate iPhones and iPads running iOS 11.2-11.3.1. More than 114,000 devices have been jailbroken using Electra as of this writing.

Jailbreaking your device allows you to bypass Apple’s restrictions and take full control of your iPhone or iPad. Most people jailbreak their devices to be able to install apps, games and tweaks that are not available in the iTunes App Store. A lot of apps that consumers would want to use never make it to the App Store due to Apple’s restrictive policies.

The iPhone jailbreaking also allows you to change the look and feel of your device to your liking. There are tons of themes on Cydia that let you change wallpapers, app icons, dock, sound and status. However, jailbreak is not for everyone. If you are considering jailbreaking your device, here’s why it could be a terrible idea.

There are only limited benefits

Yes, iPhone jailbreaking has its pros. It lets you install apps and tweaks from outside the App Store. Once you start using your jailbroken device, you’ll realize that it’s working just the way it worked before with only minor differences. Are the unauthorized apps and tweaks worth all the risk? Especially when Apple doesn’t cover jailbroken devices under its warranty or other safety plans? Jailbroken iPhones and iPads are denied service at Apple Stores. If anything goes wrong with your device, you have to fix it on your own.

You expose yourself to hackers and malware

The iOS software has built-in security features that protect your personal information and data from hackers. Apple warns that jailbreaking will eliminate the security layers designed to protect your data. With the security layers gone, hackers could steal your information, introduce viruses, spyware and malware, and even attack your network. Most of the malware for iOS target only jailbroken devices.

Your device could become highly unstable

Jailbreaking your device and installing unauthorized apps and tweaks could cause it to crash unexpectedly. They could also cause the built-in and third-party apps to crash, or worse, render your device unusable. The iPhone jailbreaking could also cause the phone’s battery to drain faster than normal, leading to a ridiculously short battery life. Many jailbreak users have also experienced dropped calls, unreliable data connections, and inaccurate location tracking.

iPhone jailbreaking causes problems with future software updates

Apple often patches the iOS exploits that developers like CoolStar use to create their jailbreak tools. The future software updates rolled out by Apple erase the jailbreaks and apps that rely on them. It means you have to re-jailbreak your device and install the tweaks all over again, and things might not work as expected on the updated software.

Sometimes, unauthorized modifications also cause irreparable damage to iOS, making the jailbroken iPhones and iPads “permanently inoperable” when new iOS update is installed. Apple doesn’t like jailbreaks. It does everything possible to fix the loopholes exploited by jailbreak developers.

It could disrupt normal services

Many iPhone and iPad users who have installed jailbreak tweaks on their devices have suffered the disruption of services such as FaceTime, iMessage, iCloud, Apple Pay, Stocks, and others. Third-party services could also be affected on jailbroken devices.

Yeah, there are tons of reasons why you shouldn’t jailbreak your device. Notably, people who liberate their iPhones and iPads are already familiar with what they are getting exposed to. They are aware of the risks. But they are the kind of people who don’t like restrictions on their devices. They are eager to push the edge. They often don’t care about new software updates because they are happy being in the jailbroken state.

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