Every year the Electronic Frontier Foundation releases its “wish list,” a list that points out the flaws the EFF sees in tech companies and their openness. This year has seen Apple only appear in that list once, and in a particularly predictable manner.
The EFF, according to its list, would like Apple to allow users to easily gain root access to their devices, giving them complete control over how they work as well as offering a way to install apps without going through Apple’s App Store.
Unsurprisingly Apple is not so keen on taking that approach, though there are ways to get root access should you really want to…
Jailbreaking is basically exactly what the EFF was talking about, and while it is do-able depending on your willingness to get your hands a little dirty, Apple far from endorses it. While the company may not explicitly go out of its way to hamper the efforts of jailbreakers, it definitely doesn’t try to help them either.
With just the one mention on the EFF wish list, Apple has potentially dodged a bullet. Safari, the browser bundled with all Macs and iOS devices, has suffered a bloody nose in the security department of late, yet the EFF did not see fit to pull Apple up on the matter.
Apple’s decision to not open the iPhone and iPad up to those wishing to tinker is clearly not affecting their ability to sell hardware, so we wouldn’t expect anything to change any time soon.
[TUAW]