Mobile phone jargon can feel sketchy as heck.
You bought this phone with your money, so why is it in jail?
You dont know how to unlock it.
Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
You cant even remember your passwords.
Mobile phones perform many useful functions, but their inner workings remain a big mystery to many of us.
We promise to keep the jargon to a minimum.
What Is Jailbreaking?
A jailbroken mobile phone can perform functions outside the rules of the phones operating system.
Jailbreakers work to find cracks in Apples code to open up iOS devices like iPhones for non-Apple software.
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Writer and activistHannah Simpsonhas been jailbreaking and unlocking phones for more than a decade.
More recent ones let you spoof your location or cheat at Pokemon Go.
Over time, Apple has added many of the features that jailbreakers developed or improved.
Its a cat-and-mouse game with Apple, Simpson said.
The Android version of jailbreaking is called rooting.
Its easy to find manufacturer-provided instructions for rooting an Android phone.
Google is more interested in letting people open their phones to do things, Simpson said.
Then, with a little know-how, you’re able to customize the way your phone works.
Youre giving yourself more administrative access to your phone, Simpson said.
Is Jailbreaking Legal?
Jailbreaking has been legal since2010.
Still, its not hard to unjailbreak a phone before you bring it in for repairs.
If someone wants you to pay to jailbreak your phone, its often a scam, she warned.
What Is an Unlocked Phone?
Your phones SIM card holds the information about your phone number and carrier.
Many phones are sold as SIM locked, meaning you cant switch carriers and continue to use that phone.
In the past, you had to jailbreak your phone to unlock it.
Now you’re free to skip a step if you want to unlock your gadget.
Both Apple and Android phones can be unlocked.
Unlocking your phone can help you escape a high-cost cell phone plan.
Unlocking is tremendously useful, Simpson said.
If you plan to resell your phone or travel, its essential.
you could usually request to have your phone unlocked online, Henry said.
If your carrier approves your request, itll unlock your phone for free.
Simpson said that some carriers use different online grid bands.
Is Unlocking Your Phone Legal?
That refers to using your fingerprint or passcode to access your phones contents.
If youre doing it for your own use, unlock away!
What Does It Cost to Unlock My Phone?
If youre committed to unlocking, it’s possible for you to head to a third-party service.
Instead, youll have to find a reputable third-party online service.
Henry recently unlocked an iPhone X oniPhoneIMEI.netand said it cost about $50.
She uses Reddit, Quora and the Better Business Bureau to check out services before she buys.
Can I Save Money by Buying an Unlocked Phone?
The financial value of an unlocked phone is in what youll save or get back later.
An unlocked phone can garner more if you plan to resell your phone, too.
Similarly, Gazelle valued an unlocked iPhone 8 at $25 more than its AT&T counterpart.
Lisa Rowan is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.
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