As an iPhone 3GS user, I have upgraded to iOS 4 right after Apple announced the public release. So far, I am quite happy with the update. Multitasking, unified inbox, folders and spell check are some of my favorite features. Apple’s engineers also tweaked some of the UIs to improve the responsiveness. Perceptually, I think iOS 4 offers better performance over the previous OS.

However, it is another story for iPhone 3G users. Many users claimed that iOS 4 is not a crappy update. In the Apple’s technical support forum, you can find lengthy discussion (38 pages) about the performance issues of iPhone 3G after upgrading to iOS 4. Users complained the UI is less responsive. It takes 5 seconds to open SMS app. The iBook app runs so slow and even the unlock slider works slower than before. These are just some examples of the complaint. Someone has also posted a video demo on YouTube to show you the slow performance after the iOS upgrade.

Obviously, the difference in performance for iPhone 3G and 3GS is due to the different computing power. The iPhone 3G is riding on a 412MHz ARM 11 chip, while the processor of 3GS model runs at 600MHz. Added to that, the 3GS model has 128MB RAM more than its predecessor, that also contributes to the speedier performance.

The limited computing power of iPhone 3G, however, shouldn’t be an excuse for Apple to deliver a crappy OS for millions of existing 3G customers. Recently, as reported by Wall Street Journals, Apple finally takes action to investigate the series of complaints related to the performance issues. Probably, it may be addressed in the upcoming iOS release.

Some Recommendations Before Apple Offers the fix

If you are an iPhone 3G user, here are a few recommendations.

For those who are still running iPhone OS 3.1.3, keep using it. At the mean time, I do not recommend the upgrade. Just stay away from it until Apple releases iOS 4.1. Especially, don’t help your wife or girl friend to upgrade the 3G to iOS 4. Here is an interesting post from the Apple’s support forum:

I hear about os 4.0.1 coming up next week.
Hope they fix all the problems. Yesterday i upgrade my wife’s 3g and now she want to kill me.

On the other hand, if you have already upgraded to iOS 4, you may consider to downgrade it back to iPhone OS 3.1.3. Lifehacker offers a great downgrade guide that you may find useful. However, it’s not as straightforward as you think.

If downgrade is not an option, you can try out these fixes that possibly improves your iPhone 3G’s performance:

• Double hard-reset – Interestingly, some users reported that a double hard-reset can improve the performance. I do not have iPhone 3G to test out the solution but some claimed the solution works. If you have no idea how to hard-reset your iPhone, check out the instruction here.
• Disable Spotlight Search – According to an iPhone 3G user in ModMyi forum, you can simply turn off spotlight search to boost the performance on iOS 4. To disable spotlight search, go to Settings -> General -> Spotlight Search and deselect all items.

Please let us know if the solution works for you and stay tuned about any related update.

TiPb iPhone Forum user shaolinfinest let us know last night, and many others have since confirmed, that Best Buy was starting to give away InvisibleShielf protective side films for iPhone 4:

I’m not sure if this has been discussed but Best Buy is starting to receive Zagg kits called “iPhone 4fix” or something like that. Basically Zagg sent us a bunch of invisishield sides to put on customers iPhone 4’s and they are free. The only disclaimer on the kit is that it says shield and install is free but install is up to the associate if they want to put it on or not. Before going in, call your local Best Buy if you are like me and don’t want to put a case on it. I installed the sides today and it was easy to put on and feels ok so far.

Whether or not InvisibleShield provides any protection from signal loss if you’re prone to such things in your area is debatable, but it’s interesting to see how other retailers are competing with Apple’s free bumper program.

Speaking of which, the TiPb iPhone 4 store has the full on front-and-back-protecting InvisibleShield and BodyGuardz in stock, and the Case-Mate Clear Armor available for pre-order. Just don’t use as much liquid to apply it as Dieter did…

We’ve also started to hear that folks are receiving their free Apple bumpers, in some cases a month or more ahead of the previously suggested delivery date. Those who asked for 3rd party cases instead haven’t had any such luck so far.

Of course, Apple’s free bumpers are pretty much restricted to black, and the TiPb iPhone 4 store has more cases in more colors than you can shake a gyro at, so check out Leanna going red, or pick out a color all your own.

See Apple and Best Buy, you don’t get to have all the fun!

[Okay, that was snarky enough to earn a "sponsored" tag]

Apple bumpers arriving, Best Buy giving away free side film for iPhone 4 is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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MediaMemo is saying Time Inc. is having trouble setting up their own subscription service for a Sports Illustrated iPad magazine app:

Last month, the publisher was set to launch a subscription version of its Sports Illustrated iPad app, where consumers would download the magazines via Apple’s iTunes, but would pay Time Inc. directly. But Apple rejected the app at the last minute, forcing the Time Warner (TWX) unit to sell single copies, using iTunes as a middleman, multiple sources tell me.

First, at the iPhone 3.0 event in 2009, Apple showed off App Store subscriptions for magazines alongside in-app purchase, but while in-app purchases are now fairly common, I’m hard pressed to find a showcase example for App Store subscriptions. What happened to them? Are publishers not eager to embrace them or has Apple not provided the mechanism?

Second, it looks like Time is trying to go around the App Store for subscriptions, kind of like what Amazon and Audible do for users who buy books via Mobile Safari on the web but can then download their library in-app. Is Time trying to do something similar to that but not getting their app approved?

So what happened? The Time Inc. insiders I talked to don’t have a clear answer, presumably because they can’t get one from Apple itself. One theory: Apple is concerned about the publisher’s plans for the consumer data it would collect with each subscription. A darker one: Steve Jobs loves the idea of digital magazines and wants to control the market for himself.

“Darker” certainly scores the melodramatic points, but Apple had no problem rolling out iBooks while still allowing the aforementioned Amazon Kindle app and a host of other competitors. They’ve let streaming music and video apps in to vie for music money against iTunes.

Due to the opaque nature of the App Store approval process, and Apple’s secrecy surrounding unannounced features and technology, there’s never an easy way to tell if a delay is political, business related, or because Steve Jobs will be announcing some new magazine-focused API for subscriptions in September.

These are huge companies, there’s a lot of money on the table, and a critical amount of personal user data behind it. I’m sure we’ll see a lot of foot stomping and fist shaking, and press leaks to spin the story. I’m sure we’ll hear cries that evil Apple is denying big publishers their control, and big publishers are gouging users for digital copies. Fine. At the end of the day I want what I think most end users want — an easy, secure, privacy-protecting way to get my magazines (and comics!) on my iPhone and iPad at a fair price. Apple wins. Publishers win. We win.

Let’s figure that out, shall we?

[MediaMemo, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Apple and magazine publishers at odds over subscriptions? is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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Look like Apple will soon release another update for the iOS 4. Yesterday, Apple released iOS 4.1 beta 2, a pre-release version for iPhone developers. Unless you are developing iPhone apps, there is no reason for you to try out this beta version.

As usual, Apple does not detail the fixes and features for the upcoming release. So far, based on the reports from early adopters, the upcoming iOS 4.1 release may come with the following updates:

• Signal Bars fixed and taller (which is already included in iOS 4.0.1)
• New Baseband (02.07.01)
• Game Center Support
• Camera Switch and Flash buttons reposition in landscape mode
• Allow to add Favorite as voice or FaceTime
• Option to turn off Spell Check
• FaceTime and Game Center Parental Controls
• Full Bluetooth AVRCP (i.e. Audio/Video Remote Control) Support
• Fix for iPhone 4’s proximity issue

For those concern about jailbreaking, iPhone Dev team has confirmed the beta 2 release of iOS 4.1 can be jailbroken using redsn0w. However, ultrasn0w do not support the unlock for the new version of baseband. Here is the jailbreaking update about iOS 4.1 beta 2 from iPhone Dev team:

If you’ve updated to 4.1beta2 on iPhone3G or iPod2G(non-MC), you can use this redsn0w from June to jailbreak. Just point it at the 4.0 IPSW (the public one, not the developer GM one).

(Yes – point it at the 4.0 IPSW even though you’re at 4.1beta2).

Don’t do this if you need the ultrasn0w carrier unlock!!

Note 1: This won’t hacktivate your iPhone3G – but for those with legit access to the 4.1beta2 this shouldn’t matter. Please don’t pirate Apple software

Note 2: If you’re at 4.1beta2 you’ll probably experience network problems after jailbreaking. Until a new version of redsn0w is released, you may need to rely on afc2 access (such as FunBox-like file browser programs) to manipulate your filesystem.

Note 3: This is recommended only for power users who can deal with the problems that will pop up as the JB apps fall further behind the beta firmwares.

We have no idea about the release date for the general availability of iOS 4.1. But please take extra care when iTunes prompts you to upgrade your iPhone firmware. Make sure you hit the “Cancel” button to avoid the upgrade if jailbreaking and unlocking are essential for you.

If you are iPhone developers, you can download the beta 2 release at iPhone Developer Center.

“Is it legal to jailbreak my iPhone?”

This is one of the frequently-asked questions and a concern raised by some of the iPhone users. Now, with the announcement from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit digital rights group, the answer is clear. Jailbreak and unlocking iPhone is not illegal and do not violate the copyright law, as a result of new rules set by the Copyright Office.

As an iPhone user, you have the right to free your iPhone to work with other carriers and install unauthorized applications outside the Apple’s App Store on iPhone.

Here is the excerpt of the EFF’s announcement:

The first of EFF’s three successful requests clarifies the legality of cell phone “jailbreaking” — software modifications that liberate iPhones and other handsets to run applications from sources other than those approved by the phone maker. More than a million iPhone owners are said to have “jailbroken” their handsets in order to change wireless providers or use applications obtained from sources other than Apple’s own iTunes “App Store,” and many more have expressed a desire to do so. But the threat of DMCA liability had previously endangered these customers and alternate applications stores.

In its reasoning in favor of EFF’s jailbreaking exemption, the Copyright Office rejected Apple’s claim that copyright law prevents people from installing unapproved programs on iPhones: “When one jailbreaks a smartphone in order to make the operating system on that phone interoperable with an independently created application that has not been approved by the maker of the smartphone or the maker of its operating system, the modifications that are made purely for the purpose of such interoperability are fair uses.”

For those who are new to jailbreaking, it is a process to free iPhone from Apple’s closed ecosystem. iPhone hackers have developed free tools such as PwnageTool, Redsn0w and Spirit to jailbreak the iPhone. With a jailbroken iPhone, you are allowed to install iPhone apps which are outside Apple’s App Store. Jailbreaking is also an essential process to unlock the iPhone to work with any mobile carrier.

So, does it mean Apple officially allows iPhone jailbreaking?

Don’t get it wrong. The announcement just makes clear the legality of iPhone jailbreak. That doesn’t mean Apple needs to open up the iPhone OS or supports jailbreaking. Right after the EFF’s announcement, according to CultOfMac, Apple has responded with a press release stating that jailbreak voids the warranty, though it doesn’t violate the law.

Apple’s goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we’ve said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably.

For all iPhone jailbreakers, the ruling is a big win. You are legally allowed to gain full control of your iPhone. However,, let me take this opportunity to make clear one point. By jailbreaking, it doesn’t mean you are allowed to download pirated applications (via hack like installous) onto the iPhone. That’s illegal and that’s NOT the purpose of jailbreaking. As mentioned in the ruling, all applications should be legally obtained. In other words, other than those free apps, you still have to pay for the paid apps (no matter it is from App Store or Cydia). Let’s reward the hard work of the iPhone developers.

The Belkin Max Sleeve for iPad not only does a great job of protecting your iPad, but it gives you a little extra room to stick some of your accessories in as well. The case is made of a fabric material that is pleated on the front. This is what allows you to have a zipper compartment in the front to stick your other gadgets in.

The inside of the case is a foamy white mesh material. It’s extremely soft so you don’t have to worry about it scratching your iPad. It’s also a loose fit, which means you won’t damage your iPad while taking it out and putting it back in the case. There’s always a down side to a case not fitting snugly though, and that’s if you forget to zip it and pick up the case by the wrong end, it’s very likely your iPad could go crashing to the floor. We didn’t have this happen with this case, but I could see that being a problem as the material on the inside doesn’t offer any grip.

The way we cast that fear aside was to put a silicon case on the iPad and then put it in the Belkin Max Sleeve. The silicon provides the grip and solves the issue. I know a lot of people wouldn’t want to buy 2 cases so it isn’t an ideal situation. My advice? It’s a great case worth the money, just be careful how you pick it up, or make sure you always zip it up.

Other than the sliding out of the case issue, this is a great case and well worth the money. It offers superior protection in an unobtrusive form factor. Even though it’s small, it still lets you stow away other objects, which is nice. If there’s any girls out there like me that hate carrying around a laptop/iPad bag and a purse, this is awesome. Simply throw your phone, credit cards, etc in the front pouch and you’re good to go.  You can purchase the Belkin Max Sleeve for iPad from the TiPb Accessory Store.

Pros

• Allows for extra storage room in the front pocket

• Material on the outside is easy to grip on to

• Material on inside won’t scratch your iPad

Cons

• Inside material is a little slick so forgetting to zip up could cause an iPad to fall out

• Zipper on front pocket is sometimes a bit hard to pull

Belkin Max Sleeve for iPad – accessory review is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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I’ll preface this by saying before this review, I’ve hardly laid hands on an Android device, let alone considered throwing my iPhone aside to completely delve into the OS and see if I could actually survive without my iPhone.  In my time with an Android device, the short answer would be that Android would be a perfectly passable everyday phone.  But would I make the switch and ditch my iPhone 4? Hit the jump to find out as well as see tons of videos and a gallery chock full of comparison pics!

Coming to the decision to give Android a try was the easy part.  Then came the tricky part, picking an actual Android device.  With the iPhone it’s simple, the best model is typically the newest model, and with Apple’s current product cycle, there’s only 1 a year to choose from.  Along with that, in the US you have one carrier choice, AT&T.  (Unless of course you want to unlock and use an iPhone on T-Mobile sans 3G.)  I decided the easiest solution would be to stick to AT&T and check out their Android selection.  This proved to be an easier decision on AT&T opposed to other carriers such as Verizon, which carries an abundance of Android powered devices.  My choices were between the HTC Aria and the Samsung Captivate.  Both of which run Android OS version 2.1.  I’ve never been a huge fan of HTC hardware, so I went with the Captivate, and I’m glad I did.

Hardware

YouTube Link

The most obvious thing about a phone, and the first thing you notice is the physical design.  Both of these phones are built extremely well.  When comparing specifically the iPhone 4 and the Captivate, both feel solid in your hand.  The back of the Captivate is a brushed metal with glossy bands on the top and the bottom while the iPhone 4 is a solid slab of glass on the back.  To me, the back of the iPhone 4 may look better, but in everyday use, I somehow feel more comfortable setting the Captivate down on a bare surface naked and not worrying whether or not it’s going to scratch.  One of my only peeves with Apple products are hairline scratches.  The plastic backs of the iPhone 3G and 3GS held up well as far as the white version went.  The black version was a fingerprint magnet and you could see any tiny imperfection.  The iPhone 4 in black holds up better in my experience than the previous models as far as blemishes, but the fingerprints still madden me.  As far as feel, the iPhone 4 still feels more solid in my hand than the Captivate.

The Camera

Both phones sport a 5MP camera.  Neither have too many options.  I’m making this short because in all honesty, I didn’t see too much of a difference.  The iPhone 4 pictures appear to be a tiny bit warmer than the Captivate’s, but besides that and the lack of a flash on the Captivate, they were about even.  I find myself not using the flash on the iPhone 4 unless it’s extremely dark and I’m forced to.  It seems to make everything look washed out in my opinion, so I avoid it whenever I can.

Compatibility

When you use a smartphone, you really have to choose a phone that suits your needs.  What do you do everyday? What are you going to use the device for?  For me, I look for a solid e-mail app, an awesome calendar app, social networking support (and more importantly, the choices you have when it comes to networking applications).  After that comes entertainment value.  And before anything else comes system compatibility.

I remember back before the iPhone when I used Blackberrys and we had to keep a PC laying around solely so I could back up my Berrys and be able to upgrade to the latest leaked OS, as well as sync my content.  Eventually 3rd parties picked up the slack for RIM, but it still wasn’t the most ideal solution.  Eventually RIM came out with a Mac client, but it was too little too late in my opinion.

I was hoping this wouldn’t be the case with Android.  But alas, I could not find an easy way to get my contacts and media on the Captivate.  I eventually asked some trusty folks on Twitter.  Instead of taking several hard routes, I created a new Gmail address and imported my contacts to that address for wireless sync.  Workable but not the most convenient method.  For media, several people recommended DoubleTwist.  It got the job done, but it was somewhat maddening that I had to go through a few different processes just to get content onto the device.  There are also programs like Missing Sync that work well, but a $40 price tag just to have better sync with Mac is somewhat ridiculous.  I understand that several years ago Mac users were a niche group and less than 2% market share.  This is by no means the case anymore, so software manufacturers need to stop leaving out Mac users.  By now, we should have compatibility right out of the gate.

With my iPhone 4, I sync to iTunes and I’m done.  I’m also a MobileMe user so I’ve never had to worry about that content being lost when switching from iPhone to iPhone.  I also found no easy way to get my iCal events onto my Android device.  To me, if I wanted to use the phone in the way I intend, it almost forces you to use not only Gmail but GCal as well.  Since I am a Mac user, the iPhone 4 obviously wins hands down as far as compatibility goes.

Battery Life

We all know iPhones don’t have the best battery life in the world, and I’m not sure about other Android devices, but the Captivate battery life was a little disappointing to me.  I’m a pretty heavy user and receive a lot of e-mails (Rene is an e-mailing machine) and I found it hard to make it through a whole day.  My iPhone 3GS typically stayed on the charger while I was at work just for simplicity’s sake and so I didn’t have to worry about a dead battery, but my iPhone 4 seems to get much better battery life and I don’t worry about it quite as much.  With the Captivate, I found myself wishing I invested in a second charger to take to work and ended up carrying the cable back and forth after 2 days of it being dead by the time I left work for the day.  I’m sure part of that is thanks to the screen.  It’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make if you want 4” of AMOLED goodness I suppose.

Applications

YouTube Link

This is one area I enjoyed exploring.  The Android Marketplace really DOES have tons of apps.  No, they don’t have the same ridiculous number Apple has, but I disagree with Apple’s representation of apps.  When I look at the number of apps a platform has, I want to know how many “quality” apps that platform has.  Leave out all the junk and apps that should have never been approved in the first place, and I’d say the iTunes app store has less than 40,000 quality apps.

I was pleasantly surprised with the selection Android users have.  Any type of app I could possibly want, I have at least 3 choices or more, which in most situations are more than sufficient.  The only area I saw a pretty poor selection in was Twitter clients.  This is probably just me though.  I have more Twitter clients on my iPhone than you can shake a stick at.  And I switch between them – frequently.  I’m flaky when it comes to Twitter clients and I get bored. For any normal person, Android’s growing selection would accommodate most non-mutants just fine.

Now let’s talk native applications.  Google put a lot of thought into basic everyday apps like the phone and texting app.  I absolutely love how you can swipe left and right in your contacts to call or message someone.  That’s ingenious and a really quick way to interact with your contacts.  I’m not sure if these features are unique to Android OS 2.1 or not, but they’re pretty frak’n sweet.  Clicking on someone’s picture within their contact card also gives you additional ways you can interact with that person.  The message app is also very easy to use and overall, I really enjoyed the interface of all the core apps.  The only thing I really did not care for was all the trial and bloatware that comes pre-installed on the device.  I spent 30 minutes clearing out junk before I actually dug into the marketplace and loaded the phone up with things I actually wanted.  This reminds me of the shiver that runs down my spine when you boot up a new PC and see a desktop loaded with nothing but crap.  Hey, maybe Best Buy can start offering Android optimization services as another form of highway robbery. (You can thank me later for the idea Best Buy, just know I’ll be expecting my royalty check every month.)

Once all the bloatware was thrown into a fiery hole of despair, you are left with a 4” canvas of AMOLED goodness to tweak and customize until your heart’s content.  And that leads me to my main focus of this article…..

Android OS vs iOS

YouTube Link

The OS is probably the single most important factor when choosing a phone.  In my experience, I’ve found things about Android that I really like, and then things that I really don’t like.

The main screen on Android OS is pretty much a blank canvas for you to do what you will with.  You can drop icons and reorder them just like you would on the iPhone, but you can also create widgets and customize until your heart’s content.  This is one area Apple really has fallen behind.  My biggest gripe with iOS is the lack of a decent notification system.  In that area, Android wins by a landslide.

The Android OS also gives you a few choices when it comes to keyboards.  I was pretty excited to get to try out Swype.  While it seems to be pretty quick, it still has its quirks.  No matter what keyboard I chose, I found myself lagging behind how quickly I can type on my iPhone.  But to be fair, I have been typing on an iPhone keyboard for over 3 years now.

Android offers a lot of cool gestures and shortcuts in general I wish Apple would take a closer look at.  But there’s also certain things that seem to be overdone.  It seemed I spent a good amount of time figuring out alerts and sounds, as well as configuring general settings.  It seemed a little overwhelming that I could pick alerts for every little thing.  The option is nice but the settings panel is a little confusing.  Sometimes I felt like I didn’t really know what settings I was changing, I had to experiment.  It reminded me somewhat of the 80 billion alerts Blackberry users are presented with.  To me, it was a little overkill.

Conclusion

All in all, I’m glad I decided to give Android a try.  My honest opinion is that it’s a platform that’s got a ridiculous amount of potential.  I think the ideas are all there, but the implementation isn’t quite there yet.  My iPhone does what I want it to do seamlessly (and I know being a Mac user gives me a leg up on PC users in some cases), but either way – the iPhone is so dead easy to use.  I’m basing my conclusions off of iOS 4.  If I were comparing previous releases of iOS to Android, that would be a much tougher decision.  Even though I’m sticking with my iPhone, Android is definitely a platform to keep a close eye on.  And here’s to hoping Apple will step up their game too when it comes to iOS 5 and beyond.  Even though I may be staying on the iPhone side of the fence, I now have a new respect for the platform as well as its users.  Just as I prefer my platform, I can see why tons of power users would choose Android as well.

Thanks to my boss who took tons of excellent hi-res pics for me since I’m too cheap to break down and finally get a DSLR. And a special thanks to @kasperapd as well for lending us some iPhone 4/Evo4G comparison shots (apparently that phone IS rarer than a unicorn!) And as always, we encourage you guys to chime with your comments and thoughts!

iPhone 4 vs Android Captivate is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog

The TiPb forums are naturally a great place to talk, commiserate, celebrate, get help, and offer advice to your fellow iPhone users. In order to create a new thread of your own or reply to any of the existing threads, you must be a registered member. Becoming a member is easy and free so if you haven’t already head on over and register now!

• If you are waiting for a jailbreak for iPhone 4 what is the number one thing you are looking to get out of it?

• Wondering why Apple chose to use glass for the back of the iPhone 4? So are a lot of our other members in this thread.

• Last week Apple allowed all iPhone 4 owners the chance to select a free case. Which did you choose?

• If you’d like to discuss all of the latest and greatest iPhone and iPod touch games and apps this is the place to do it – iPhone Apps and Games forum.

See you in the forums!

Jailbreak iPhone 4, Glass back, Free case, iPhone/iPod touch games and apps – From the Forums is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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The Library of Congress’ DMCA exception for jailbreaking is big news for our community.  The new ruling basically says that jailbreaking or unlocking devices is not illegal.  But I think the bigger question on most people’s minds is what that’s going to mean for end users and the jailbreak community in general.  So what does this ruling mean for you, jailbreak ninjas? Read on to find out.

Now we all know the iPhone has its shortcomings. Every smartphone does. In the iPhone world, we jailbreak to compensate. Android users may root their phones to side load apps. We also have a big issue (mainly in the US) where unlocking your phones is frowned upon. Users have cried foul for a long time. Logically, if you buy an iPhone outright in the states, you should be free to take that phone to whatever carrier you’d like. Yet they’re still locked down to AT&T for state-side users.

Today’s ruling is definitely a step in the right direction and a huge hurdle for groups like EFF, but how it will effect end users right “now” still remains somewhat unclear.  Now keep in mind, as of now, this is strictly my opinion. What I’m taking from this is that Apple or any other phone manufacturer will not be able to sue you or take legal action for jailbreaking or unlocking your device. Does that mean they have to be okay with it or aid you in doing it? Absolutely not.

What about warranties?

In my opinion, I don’t think anything will change (as of now). Apple will still have the same stance on modifying your iOS devices and the risks involved.  I can’t image it would be hard for apple to play off a software malfunction on user error or the fact that you downloaded an application that was not approved or isn’t supported by them.  What if you have a hardware issue?  That should be a little different.  Apple shouldn’t be allowed to deny you hardware repairs solely based on the fact that you are jailbroken.  I’ve read in forums several times that users would attempt to exchange white iPhones for hairline cracks and get turned away because their device was jailbroken.  I’d really like someone at Apple to explain to me how being jailbroken caused a crack in the casing.  Other users have said they swapped their phone just fine.  I’m assuming this probably depends upon what store you go to and how much the genius really pays attention to the phone before performing a swap.  Either way – I don’t see this ruling changing the way Apple handles servicing jailbroken or unlocked devices.

Unlocking

Users have long been unlocking devices and taken them to other GSM carriers such as T-Mobile.  If this becomes a common practice, I’m curious to see how carriers will handle that.  Honestly, I don’t think they will.  They’ll refer you to the manufacturer.  And if that carrier happens to be Apple, if you don’t have a valid AT&T SIM, I still think you’ll have a hard time getting them to service your phone.

If unlocking becomes a standard practice are users can buy unlocked devices to take to whichever GSM carrier they’d like, then Apple would not have the software argument to hide behind, nor would any manufacturer.  AT&T offers unlock codes to users who have been on contract for a specified period of time for pretty much every device in their lineup, except the most popular ones.  And obviously, that includes the iPhone.

Cat & Mouse

The Dev Team and jailbreaks have long played the cat and mouse game with Apple.  A jailbreak is released, a couple months later, an update to iOS is released, it breaks the jailbreak or patches the exploit.  Jailbreakers go back to the drawing board and find yet another exploit.  And the cycle continues.  I don’t see any end to this either.  Apple may not be able to sue you, but they sure don’t have to like it or condone it.

Conclusion

So my opinion? I don’t think a thing will change for end users, as of right now anyways.  Apple can still choose not to honor warranties, they just can’t take legal action, given you aren’t using a jailbreak for unlawful purposes.  Around these parts, we fully support the jailbreak community, without supporting those who use it for illegal purposes.  It’ll be interesting to see how Apple and other manufacturers respond.  But in the mean time, what do you guys think?

What Jailbreaking/Unlocking DMCA exception means for end users is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

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As reported earlier, Apple is giving away free iPhone bumper or other third-party iPhone case for every iPhone 4 buyer. This is Apple’s solution to fix the “antennagate” issue.

On Friday, Apple announced the iPhone 4 case program. Here is how you can claim an iPhone 4 case if you have purchased an iPhone 4:

1. Download the iPhone 4 Case Program app from the App Store.

2. Launch the app on your iPhone 4 and sign in using your iTunes Store account or Apple ID.

3. Select your Bumper or case.

4. Place your order and confirm your shipment.

The iPhone 4 case program is only available till September 30, 2010. If you have already purchased the iPhone 4, remember to place your order before August 22, 2010. For those who plan to purchase one, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase.

Apple also offers refund for those who already purchased an iPhone bumper. If you made the purchase using credit card, the company should have already refunded your account. If you pay by check or cash, simply return to the Apple store with your receipt to get the full refund.