If you read my reasoning for returning to the jailbreak scene back in February, then you’ll know that up until that point I really wasn’t sold on the whole jailbreak scene. I’d dabbled in the past, with limited success, and always decided to return to Apple’s way of thinking by ditching the jailbreak completely. I’d had battery problems, stability issues and a general feeling of disappointment when jailbreaking, but that all changed in February with the release of Evasi0n. Three months later, I can’t see myself ever going back to stock.
After living with my jailbroken iPhone 5, running iOS 6.1.2, for a quarter of a year now, I find myself not just using some jailbreak tweaks all the time, but actually relying on them to the extent that I couldn’t imagine being without them. Obviously Cydia is full of plenty of frivolous apps and tweaks, but there are some real gems in there. Gems that change the way iOS feels, rather than looks, and adds functionality that I didn’t even realize I wanted, let along needed. Now though, I’m well aware that one slip of the finger while hovering over the Update button could rid me not just of my jailbreak, but of my iPhone as I know it. And I’m not just being dramatic.
Check out my previous post for details on which jailbreak tweaks I am using on iPhone 5.
With my iPhone currently sat on my desk, a quick stab of the Home button illustrates my point perfectly. The lock screen I’m presented with barely resembles the one stock iOS users are familiar with. Grouped notifications, a pull-down drawer full of useful widgets as well as the ability to act on the aforementioned notifications right from the lock screen are all evident immediately, and the first sign that not all is as it seems with this particular iPhone 5.
Jailbreak tweak: Axis for iPhone
Opening it up reveals smaller, crisper icons with no labels to distact from the artwork. Those icons look gorgeous even though they are only 65% of their original size, too, thanks to the iPhone 5’s high screen resolution. You don’t have all those pixels and slap huge icons on top of them, I argue, and few would disagree after seeing my home screen. It feels different, just enough different, to breath new life into a mobile operating system that has stagnated since its introduction six years ago. And that’s what jailbreaking is all about for me; not just adding features, or fancy icons, but tailoring the user experience to suit me, even if that’s just by freshening things up from time to time.
If you want to jailbreak iOS 6 on iPhone 5 or any other device, follow our complete tutorial posted here to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 using Evasi0n.
If you still have an A4 device, you can get a tethered 6.1.3 jailbreak using either Redsn0w or Sn0wbreeze. Follow our guide to jailbreak iOS 6.1.3 using Sn0wbreeze.
For many, jailbreaking is about changing themes and having the Batman logo as their carrier logo. For me, it’s about much more than that. For me, it’s about stopping me from buying a Galaxy S4 to play with out of boredom!
And that’s no mean feat, let me tell you!
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