UI

ByeBackgroundBreadcrumbs fixes one of my biggest complaints about iOS’ Breadcrumb links

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 6, 2021

If you’ve ever noticed the name of an application on the left side of your iPhone or iPad’s Status Bar after being jolted from one app to another, then you’ve witnessed what Apple calls a Breadcrumb link. This handy link lets you get right back to the app you were just using when you’re finishing in the app you were just jolted to.

I really like the concept behind Breadcrumb links, but if there’s anything that really grinds my gears about them, it would be the fact that they can sometimes remain in the Status Bar even after you’ve forcefully closed the origin app. Tapping on the Breadcrumb link is often the only way to get rid of it, and then this would would re-launch that app whether it was needed or not.

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New ‘rasperry’ tweak keeps YouTube playing in the background when you close the app

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 3, 2021

YouTube’s background media playback is a feature in both the YouTube and YouTube Music apps is typically reserved for Premium users who pay a monthly subscription fee. This same subscription also unlocks other creature comforts including ad-free playback.

Fortunately for jailbreakers, background playback and an ad-free listening experience don’t necessarily require an active subscription, as jailbreak tweaks made specifically for the YouTube and YouTube Music apps can lift the frustrating subscription requirement.

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This tweak adds a Rotation Lock button to iOS’ native video player

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 2, 2021

Rotation Lock is a useful feature that I use on my iPhone almost every single day. People use Rotation Lock for a bevy of different reasons, but many would coin video consumption to be a valid use since it can prevent the display from rotating to an uncomfortable orientation in those niche moments like laying in your bed.

Currently, the fastest and most convenient way to toggle Rotation Lock is via the dedicated Control Center toggle, but launching Control Center can interrupt your video playback. With that in mind, wouldn’t it have made perfect sense if Apple had simply integrated a Rotation Lock button into the video player interface to begin with?

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This tweak stops iOS’ built-in hearing protection for people who don’t like the volume interruption

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 1, 2021

If you’re using any recent release of iOS or iPadOS, be it 13 or 14, then your handset automatically attempts to protect your hearing by reducing loud sounds when using headphones for extended periods of time.

The option to reduce loud sounds is adjustable in the Settings app, but as many users have pointed out on Apple’s support forums, the adjustment has its limits and may still negatively impact the media consumption experience in certain scenarios even when the user takes steps to mitigate interruptions.

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CustomizeBW lets jailbreakers spice up iOS 14’s native battery widget

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated March 7, 2022

When I first upgraded to iOS & iPadOS 14 last year, I was slightly unimpressed by the appearance of Apple’s native battery widget. Not only is it bland, but it doesn’t even display numeric battery percentages, which I often like to see for myself for peace of mind.

Those interested in upgrading their battery widget on iOS or iPadOS 14 would do good to try a newly released jailbreak tweak called CustomizeBW by iOS developer Miguel, as it provides a bevy of different options for making the native battery widget more aesthetically pleasing to the end user.

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JellyLock Reborn breathes new life into a popular Lock Screen launcher tweak from the past

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated March 21, 2023

Remember JellyLock? If you don’t, then we’re happy to remind you that it was a popular jailbreak tweak from way back in the day that allowed pwned iPhone users to enjoy an Android-inspired app launcher from the comfort of their Lock Screen.

JellyLock’s intense popularity when was first released is a testament to just how much iPhone users wanted access to these kinds of shortcuts on their device. Fast-forward to today, and iOS features Camera and Flashlight shortcuts, but not much else. That’s why we’re excited to talk today about JellyLock Reborn by iOS developer MegaDev, as it breathes new life into this beautiful tweak for modern iterations of iOS.

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Alt5tore simplifies the process of updating unc0ver directly from the AltStore app

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 30, 2021

If like so many other jailbreakers out there, you depend on the unc0ver tool to keep your iPhone or iPad pwned, then we’ve got some good news for you – especially if you take advantage of AltStore to install unc0ver on your device.

As many AltStore users already know, the app hosts download links to some of Riley Testut’s software, including the Delta emulator app for various Nintendo-centric systems and the Clip clipboard manager. Both can both be installed with the tap of a button directly from the AltStore app as long as you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network as AltServer on your computer.

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Spice up your jailbroken iPhone’s Now Playing widget with Arkita

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 30, 2021

Anyone who uses their iPhone for frequent media consumption will inevitably interact with the handset’s Now Playing widget under various circumstances. It can be useful for pausing the Now Playing track in a pinch or resuming playback when it has already been paused. Moreover, it makes skipping to the next or returning to the previous one without unlocking your device a breeze.

Despite just how useful the iPhone’s Now Playing widget can be, I still find myself desiring more when I see it. It could be that the widget is merely too plain for my taste; or perhaps that I feel that Apple could’ve done so much better than they did when designing it. If you agree, then a newly released jailbreak tweak dubbed Arkita by iOS developer P2KDev may offer a hint of refuge.

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Volify adds a volume slider to Spotify’s Now Playing interface

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 29, 2021

Spotify is a wonderful alternative to Apple Music on Apple’s mobile device lineup, but the app’s third-party Now Playing interface is missing an obvious element that I would’ve expected most music players to incorporate: a simple volume level slider.

If you’re jailbroken and you’d like to add a volume level slider to your Spotify app’s Now Playing interface, then we invite you to try out a newly released and free jailbreak tweak called Volify by iOS developer ginsu.

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MusicLyricsShare lets jailbreakers tap and hold on Apple Music lyrics to share them

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 27, 2021

There are two types of people in this world: 1) those who listen to music because it sounds good; and 2) those who listen to music to hear and follow along with the lyrics. If the latter camp sounds like you, then chances are you might have a sudden urge to share said music lyrics from time to time.

MusicLyricsShare is a newly released and free jailbreak tweak by iOS developer ETHN that streamlines this process in Apple’s Music app by letting users tap and hold on the individual lyric blocks that appear when a song streams via Apple Music.

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WaveAway provides modest iOS customization without the price tag

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 26, 2021

Whether you’re new to jailbreaking or merely looking for a quick and easy way to personalize various parts of the iOS user interface without investing money, WaveAway is a newly released and free jailbreak tweak by iOS developer Sangster that might be of interest.

WaveAway is best described as a free all-in-one jailbreak tweak that provides a myriad of different options for customizing your handset’s mobile operating system. It’s not quite as in-depth as many of the paid all-in-ones out there, such as Springtomize, but as a free release, it’s definitely worth checking out.

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