• Apple Inc. keeps updating its iOS 11 firmware ahead of its release this summer 2017.

Apple Inc. keeps updating its iOS 11 firmware ahead of its release this summer 2017. (Photo : YouTube/EverythingApplePro)

The next jailbreak release is happening soon, and this according to iOS hacker Stefan Esser, also known as @i0n1c, who recently hinted that a JB tool based on version 10.2 will eventually drop. In addition, security researcher Luca Todesco has indicated that his Yalu jailbreak will soon jump to 10.2 from v. 10.1.1. So there will be at least two fresh iOS cracks to watch for, but will they be worth the wait?

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In a sense, yes jailbreaking is certainly worth the trouble as there are loads of benefits to get and chief of them is the liberation of one's iPhone or iPad. And unlocking an iOS device, according to Guiding Tech, will translate to limitless customization possibilities.

That means users can go beyond what Apple has to offer with the iPhone or iPad by applying tweaks, which is impossible with a stock iOS version. "If there is something you don't like about the UI of iOS, chances are an existing jailbreak tweak or app can fix it. You can change virtually everything about the OS," the report said.

It's like using the Apple mobile OS in nearly the same way that Android users enjoy their devices to optimal level. For instance, Cydia will replace the App Store as the source of iPhone/iPad apps and will redefine the whole iOS experience. That's because "whatever is on your iOS wish list you can probably find in Cydia," Guiding Tech added on its report.

That's like saying dreams that Apple has been suppressing with its tightly controlled iOS environment will be realized the moment the software is unlocked. One possibility is taking control of internal device storage management, which one can do by using jailbreak tweaks readily available from Cydia.

However, there are downsides to jailbreaking too. As users get to level up on UI tweaks or app features, it's inevitable that overall performance will be impacted, and battery life too. Jailbreaking produces power users and one can only imagine that demand on battery juice when an iPhone or iPad is bumped up to beast mode.

Another sacrifice that one will make in opting for a jailbreak life is the loss of official Apple support - both hardware- and software-wise. Users will be on their own if something breaks when trying out a new iOS crack and that is one risk they will have to deal with.

Then there is the reality of jailbreak problems like bugs and instability, which exactly is the case of the existing Yalu iOS 10.1.1 jailbreak from Luca Todesco. And there is no solid assurance that these risks and issues will go away if and when iOS 10.2 jailbreak becomes available, no matter if the tool will come from Todesco or Team Pangu.