This is why consumers need root access to their phones. These are more than just phones, they are pocket sized computers. We have root/admin access on our laptops and desktops, we should have it here.
Except we shouldn't, because about 98% of people can't keep their devices secure, at all, if root is just floating around aimlessly for any apps to grab any privs. The security record of Android vs iOS illustrates this extremely well.
Why would we possibly care about jailbreakme.com, or think that any security issue involving an intentionally-jailbroken phone would in any way reflect on Apple? Are you seriously bringing up stuff that was patched in iOS 1.1.2? Dude. It's 2015.
Also, it's really quite clear that the iPhone and iOS devices in general are, in fact, THE replacement for computers for hundreds of millions of users. So I don't think we really need to waste time debating that. Apple won. Apple succeeded in making a device which is useful for that purpose.
> Why would we possibly care about jailbreakme.com, or think that any security issue involving an intentionally-jailbroken phone would in any way reflect on Apple?
Except JBM was based on exploits in the official firmware, that the jailbreak would fix.
> Are you seriously bringing up stuff that was patched in iOS 1.1.2? Dude. It's 2015.
4.3.4.
> Also, it's really quite clear that the iPhone and iOS devices in general are, in fact, THE replacement for computers for hundreds of millions of users. So I don't think we really need to waste time debating that. Apple won. Apple succeeded in making a device which is useful for that purpose.
According to IDC[1] their market share is ~14%. I'd hardly call that winning.
I would counter that there are people whom you do not want to have root. As sudo says, with great power comes great responsibility. Having clueless users being able to break the sandbox would do them more harm.
So while root would be useful to some consumers, the majority would be better off without it.
It doesn't have to be either or. Having/ setting up an admin/root account should be an option, not the default. But it _should_ be an option for those of us who do have the abilities to use it wisely.
The gatekeeper model works for mobile devices.