We already know it is dangerous. Jailbreaking, assisting in jailbreaking, developing and distributing jailbreak apps are among the things that the latest revision of that agreement does not condone which isn’t really a surprise.

The governing “iPhone Developer Program License Agreement” has been updated where Apple forbids the creation of apps that violate privacy, facilitate crimes, or violate intellectual property laws. From now on, app developers are not able to jailbreak their own phones or assist others in jailbreaking their phone. Relevant clauses in the agreement are as follows:

(e) You will not, through use of the Apple Software, services or otherwise, create any Application or other program that would disable, hack or otherwise interfere with the Security Solution, or any security, digital signing, digital rights management, verification or authentication mechanisms implemented in or by the iPhone operating system software, iPod touch operating system software, this Apple Software, any services or other Apple software or technology, or enable others to do so; and

(f) Applications developed using the Apple Software may only be distributed if selected by Apple (in its sole discretion) for distribution via the App Store or for limited distribution on Registered Devices (ad hoc distribution) as contemplated in this Agreement.

Jailbreaking allows access to apps that Apple doesn’t approve of and enables unlocking the phone from approved carriers. It also allows users and developers access to the UNIX underpinnings of iPhone OS. Developers thinking of distributing a rejected app for jailbroken phones, lose access to the iPhone developer program altogether. Jailbreaking is likely to occur even with these provisions. Apple will just be keeping a closer eye on proceedings.

[via Ars Technica]