Jailbroken iPhone users getting locked out of the App Store

[ghostface147]

Not all jail breakers are pirates, but all pirates are jail breakers....

None of our apps (more than 60 now) will run successfully on jail broken devices and revenue is up significantly. It was well worth the effort for us.

To be fair, I'd like to know what those problems were. If it's something like saying it crashes, that's too generic. Were there memory access issues? Were there specific runtime errors or API calls that were failing because of jailbroken status? Be very detailed.

I have no problem with jailbreaking, I just don't care to micromanage the phone. I installed sbsettings, never used it. BiteSMS? Didn't like the way it looked. Themes? Nothing special and I removed all of them. Not only that, but I like to be up to date all the time and don't care to wait for a new jailbreak before I update.

 

[Massie]

To be fair, I'd like to know what those problems were. If it's something like saying it crashes, that's too generic. Were there memory access issues? Were there specific runtime errors or API calls that were failing because of jailbroken status? Be very detailed.

I may be misreading Tim here, but I think he's saying they won't run on jb devices by design, not that they were running into problems with performance. In other words, they are deliberately disabling the app's functionality if the device is jailbroken, in order to combat piracy.

 

[kch50428]

We capture whether or not our apps are running on Jailbroken devices and it's less than 1/2 of 1% with millions of downloads.

Tell us - who is "We". I'd like to know the name of your company so I can elect to not to burden you with a need to support me - EVER.

Thanks - and have a nice day

Still waiting for an answer to this one... I'd really like to know what apps Tim is involved with so I can do him the favor of never needing support for his apps by never buying them in the first place...

 

[BuddhistGirafe]

Kind of hard to think that when Absinthe 2.0 is out!!! and 5.1.1 JailBreak Waiting Room..... topics are the hottest, most viewed, and most popular topic on this forum right now. Add to that that Absinthe 2.0 was used to jailbreak nearly one million iOS devices in a single weekend.

A single weekend.



Yes they can feed their family with popular, popularity is synonymous with $$$. Especially in an ecosystem like iOS. Blocking your own apps is just going to equal less money.

Jailbreaking, however, is not synonymous with piracy. You have to look for Installous.

Yes 1 million devices out of how many, the majority of which I'm assuming were already jailbroken. And no it is not synonymous to piracy. But the fact of the matter is jailbreaking opens the door to piracy and that takes away money. Even from free apps. Look at freemium games that use in-app purchases to make money. People can just as easy get free gems or coins or whatever it may be, which is also losing devs money.


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[Musicliche]

i have definitely seen it one skype

 

[ghostface147]

I'd like to know what apps he has worked on as well so I can support his decision to block jailbroken users. Tim, PM me the information.

 

[kch50428]

I'd like to know what apps he has worked on as well so I can support his decision to block jailbroken users. Tim, PM me the information.

He shouldn't be afraid to promote his apps publicly.

 

[ghostface147]

He shouldn't be afraid to promote his apps publicly.

I don't recall him saying it was his company unless I missed it. For all we know, he could be one of many programmers or serve another role and maybe it's not up to him to mention his company.

 

[ModeratorOMD]

I'm bored.

Nobody really cares for this anonymous Tim Hewitt person, with his questionable stories, his twisted logic, or his dumb apps.

My iPhone is Jailbroken with 0 pirated apps. It runs faster, smoother, and better. I have fullscreen Safari, no aggravating bookmark popup, no newsstand, and I can try something new if I want.

Every application and feature I have ever desired works and will continue to work. That's all I care about.

 

[ghostface147]

I'm bored.

Nobody really cares for this anonymous Tim Hewitt person, with his questionable stories, his twisted logic, or his dumb apps.

My iPhone is Jailbroken with 0 pirated apps. It runs faster, smoother, and better. I have fullscreen Safari, no aggravating bookmark popup, no newsstand, and I can try something new if I want.

Every application and feature I have ever desired works and will continue to work. That's all I care about.

We're bored with you too, so no worries.

 

[Massie]

Guys. Let's keep it civil. Discussion is fine; personal attacks will get the thread closed.

 

[ModeratorOMD]

We're bored with you too, so no worries.

That guy was obviously lying. I just wasn't convinced... 60 apps is.. well, that's a lot.

As for the actual topic. I think we can safely conclude that no one will be getting locked out of the iTunes store at any point in the near future.

We all seem collectively content with our iPhones anyway.

 

[3cit]

I am 100% behind jail breaking because I think people should be able to do with their device, whatever the hell they want to do with it!
However developers can do whatever they want with their apps too.
Anybody who is worth their salt can easily work around the "this app does not support jail broken devices"...

I too, questions tims claim that revenue is up significantly just because they block jail broken devices....

And once again, I question how many of these apps are actually out there!!!
I now know of 3, time warners tv app, swamp people, and Skype.
Skype gives me a warning, works perfectly, swamp people works fine after I change name of cydia.app and I know time Warner works with xcon, so when it comes down to it, what are we really even talking about here???

 

[iVazz]

Not all jail breakers are pirates, but all pirates are jail breakers....

None of our apps (more than 60 now) will run successfully on jail broken devices and revenue is up significantly. It was well worth the effort for us.

Wondering if you'll provide us a list of these 60 or so apps? I wanna make sure I don't buy any of them since I do enjoy my jailbreak. I don't steal apps but do agree with this statement:

Jailbreaking is not the same as piracy. I would hope that most jailbreakers do so to control what and how their iPhone can do and look - not to pirate. I agree with the OP on many if his points.

Bottom line Jailbreaking isn't illegal, stealing is...

Sent from the dark recesses of my mind using Tapatalk.

 

[ModeratorOMD]

so when it comes down to it, what are we really even talking about here???

Well, I mean, the Tim guy was talking about how Apple is going to follow his lead, and the whole iUniverse will be locked out, and how he's developed more than 60 apps, really? That's very interesting. His whole story is interesting, but I doubt he'll be back to finish up that statement.

As for me, I get the extra perks. I could always switch right back to stock if I wanted to but- not with all these perks.

 

[Eileen89]

I am 100% behind jail breaking because I think people should be able to do with their device, whatever the hell they want to do with it!
However developers can do whatever they want with their apps too.
Anybody who is worth their salt can easily work around the "this app does not support jail broken devices"...

I too, questions tims claim that revenue is up significantly just because they block jail broken devices....

And once again, I question how many of these apps are actually out there!!!
I now know of 3, time warners tv app, swamp people, and Skype.
Skype gives me a warning, works perfectly, swamp people works fine after I change name of cydia.app and I know time Warner works with xcon, so when it comes down to it, what are we really even talking about here???

xCon also fixed the Skype error that I was getting. I'll bet this is a good work around for other apps that start with this..... I think this just goes to prove that there is a work around for just about every Jailbreak related issue, which is a big reason why I continue to jailbreak my iPhone and iPad every time a new version becomes available.

 

[ThaKrazyOne]

OK, I apologize if what I will say has been said, but here I go. All I have to say is there is nothing wrong with JailBreaking. Yes I have several JB's devices. Yes I have purchased apps from the App Store. Yes I have purchased apps and tweaks from the Cydia store. No I do not pirate apps. My wifes 4s and my daughter's 3rd gen iPod touch are JB's only for Winterboard and using the Hello Kitty themes for both units. I have an OG iPad on stock 5.1.1 and will stay as such. I have a 3GS that has to be JB'd and unlocked with ultrasn0w due to have been used prior to me buying it with the iPad BaseBand 6.15 which means no stock restore. Now you know who will lose if locking apps become the norm, it's anyone who has to unlock and/or flash their phone for companies that do not officially support the iPhone. Remember, there are over 1 million iPhones alone on T-Mobile's network, and plenty more on others i.e. SIMple Mobile, MetroPCS and any others internationally. I should know I used to run on SIMple Mobile and remember having to JB and then installing the iPad BB to use it. Point being, that the big picture is that people JB their phones not just for costomization, it is also done to be able to use it without having to be stuck to AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. Yes people who use cracked apps and stuff as such, give the whole JB community a bad name. Unfortanetly theres nothing we can do about it at this point. Like they say, what one does illegal, everyone pays. Long Live JailBreaking!!! As long as it is being used for good of course.

 

[sherlock]

Well, I mean, the Tim guy was talking about how Apple is going to follow his lead, and the whole iUniverse will be locked out, and how he's developed more than 60 apps, really? That's very interesting. His whole story is interesting, but I doubt he'll be back to finish up that statement.

As for me, I get the extra perks. I could always switch right back to stock if I wanted to but- not with all these perks.

If Apple locks out jailbreakers then I won't use iTunes or iCloud. No big deal, Cydia apps are much better and there are better cloud storage options as well. As for music there's always Amazon and other sites and stores where us Jailbreakers can BUY music.

 

[redbeard]

Not all jail breakers are pirates, but all pirates are jail breakers....

None of our apps (more than 60 now) will run successfully on jail broken devices and revenue is up significantly. It was well worth the effort for us.

More than 60? And what apps are those? I'd like to know so that I don't ever accidentally support you.


Because I choose to do what I wish with the phone I own doesn't mean I'm a thief, or that I don't support developers.

I believe the rigid hive thinking of fanboys is totally the opposite of what created Apple, it's pretty funny to think of how just about every new feature that gets added to iOS was copied from jailbreak devs. You enjoy your vanilla device, I'll keep supporting the developers actually innovating for iOS over on Cydia, features in the future you guys will go crazy over when Apple "invents" them.

And you know, it's funny, according to some, only a tiny tiny minority of people even care to jailbreak their phones, yet they are somehow responsible for massive amounts of piracy, which is it? I also wonder if any people dead set against jailbreaking are using windows copies they got from a friend, or actually paid for their copy of photoshop

 

[Timhewitt]

I wont be baited into discussing who we are or what our apps are, and whether or not you chose to believe me is up to you.

I have posted before that it's against company policy for any of our employees to identify our company or apps in online forums.

Since blocking jail breakers, our support costs are down and both revenue and profits are up. Since we have also blocked pirates at the same time, revenue for even those early apps that we no longer advertise is also up. We routinely monitor for our apps on pirate websites and our current methods have proven to be effective in blocking the illegal redistribution of our software as well.

It's a data point, from a real development house whose full time business is app development.

You can dismiss it or not, that's up to you.

And what I said about Apple is they will continue to block the security holes that allow jail breaking in the first place, and it would not surprise me to see them eventually prevent jail broken devices from participating in the iUniverse. For those of you who don't get that, that would mean blocking access to iTunes and iCloud at a minimum. They could chose to disable your iOS device altogether if it's jail broken, but I doubt they will ever take that step since its not illegal to jail break and that might get them into legal trouble.