Apple Blocking Jailbreakers from Using iBooks App?
Whoa – this is really shocking news if it proves intentional on Apple’s part. From an Apple Insider report today:
Apple has taken a new approach in its battle with users who hack iOS-powered devices like the iPhone and iPad, blocking “jailbreakers” from accessing content in its iBooks e-reader application.
Using the hack dubbed “greenpois0n” to jailbreak Apple’s iOS 4.2.1 triggers a “jailbreak check” built into the mobile operating system since version 4.0, according to Social Apples. That “check” reportedly prevents some users from opening content in the latest version iBooks.
“There is a problem with the configuration of your iPhone,” the error message in iBooks 1.2.1 reads. “Please restore with iTunes and reinstall iBooks.”Hacker “Comex” of the iPhone Dev Team explained via Twitter how the new anti-jailbreak measure works: “It seems that before opening a DRMed book, iBooks drops an improperly signed binary, tries to execute it, and if it works concludes that the device is jailbroken and refuses to open the book.”
I just tried out iBooks on my iPhone 4, which is jailbroken with GreenPois0n – and got the same result mentioned above. I cannot access purchased books in iBooks, though I can still open self-loaded PDF titles. On my iPad, which is not jailbroken, I can access all the purchased books – so it would appear this report is true.
This is a big, nasty move on Apple’s part, if it’s been done intentionally. It’s bad enough locking jailbreakers out of iBooks, but if it has been done on purpose then what’s coming next? Will jailbreakers be locked out of other built-in apps? Being locked out of Mail, Safari, Maps, YouTube (just to name a few) would be a big hit against jailbreakers. One that would discourage a lot of users from ever trying a jailbreak. At least until the jailbreak community finds a way past the barriers that is – which will surely happen if Apple is doing this intentionally and carries on with the policy.
It’s also just a pretty low blow given that jailbreaking was recently declared to be legal.
What do you all think of this? Are you seeing the same error in iBooks?
Pingback: Tweets that mention Apple Blocking Jailbreakers from Using iBooks App? | iSource -- Topsy.com
custom-made eBooks made from PDFs in Calibre and the like don’t seem to be affected so far because they don’t have DRM.
Man this is a total rip off! It is happening to me as well with some titles. But if it’s true then apple is a making a dick move. I purchased those books legally and if they aren’t letting me read them, they’re gonna cause some serious problems!
Looks like a fix is already on the way.
Still works for me even with greenpoison…
Dunno why xD
Pingback: Apple didn’t stick it to GreenPois0n jailbreakers | Macgasm
Just use Stanza and forget about iBook