Some consumers aren't satisfied with Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone 4. Demand for a new version of the iPhone-hacking software JailbreakMe was so strong after its release yesterday that servers couldn't keep up, News.com reports.
JailbreakMe works directly in the Safari browser on the iPhone, unlocking it to accept software not available in or rejected by the App Store. Jailbroken phones can also be used on networks other than AT&T's (NYSE: T).
When an iPhone 4 owner jailbreaks his device it says one of three things:
- He's not satisfied with the available iPhone software.
- He's not satisfied with AT&T.
- He's not satisfied with either.
Why are jailbreakers buying the iPhone 4 in the first place? Aside from its antenna problems, reviewers have widely praised the device's design and innovative video calling feature. Apple is known for hardware design, and the iPhone 4 is no different.
Yet hardware has its limits. Developers want to do more with the device than Apple will allow. I'm not talking about stupid ideas like the Baby Shaker app. I'm referring to genuinely useful ideas such as memory management.
Coders are moving faster than Apple, just as the Mac maker is demanding more of them. Knowing that, can any of us really be surprised that developers are taking their tools to Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android platform in increasing numbers?
According to a variety of research reports, Android handsets from the likes of Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and HTC outsold the iPhone during the second quarter. To be fair, Apple launched iPhone 4 at the end of Q2, but this isn't the first time we've seen this kind of data.
But Google isn't the big winner here; Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is. Jailbreakers have been cracking their iPhones on account of AT&T for years. Every new jailbreak gives Verizon ammo for a marketing campaign -- presuming the iPhone joins its network in January, as media reports say.
That's my take. Now it's your turn to weigh in. Does a rash of new jailbreaks amount to chinks in Apple's iPhone armor? Let the debate begin below.
