Apple asks feds to crack down on iPhone jailbreaking

“Apple is asking the federal government to help crack down on hackers ‘jailbreaking’ the iPhone,” NBC reports. “Jailbreaking is the hacker term for cracking software restrictions so the iPhone will work on other wireless carriers and allow any apps to be installed, not just those approved by Apple.”

MacDailyNews Take: Technically, “jailbreaking” refers to the latter and “unlocking” refers to the former.

NCB continues, “‘Current jailbreak technologies now in widespread use utilize unauthorized modifications to the copyrighted bootloader and operating system, resulting in the infringement of the copyrights in those programs,’ Apple told the U.S. Copyright Office.”

Full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Not much meat in the NBC article, so it’s unclear what Apple’s asking for, if anything. Under the DMCA of 2010, both jailbreaking and unlocking are legal in the United States of America. More info: U.S. government makes iPhone jailbreaking, unlocking legal – July 26, 2010

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]