The previously mentioned and highly-anticipated iOS 6.1 jailbreak will be released within a week, likely as soon as this Sunday, February 3, according to the jailbreak’s development team. The jailbreak will be called “evasi0n” and evad3rs, the team responsible, has set up a website to inform the public on its progress.
All recent Apple devices with the exception of the third-generation Apple TV will be supported by evasi0n, and the jailbreak app will be compatible with Windows, OS X, and Linux. The development team claims the process will take as little as 5 minutes to complete.
Users should note that jailbreaking is a separate process from unlocking, which was technically made illegal under certain circumstances in the United States earlier this month after a ruling by the Librarian of Congress. Although historically related to some extent, unlocking is the process that allows a phone configured specifically for one carrier (such as AT&T) to be used on another compatible carrier (such as T-Mobile).
Jailbreaking is the process of modifying a device’s software so that applications from third-party sources can be installed in addition to apps from the Apple App Store. However, jailbreaking does violate the end user license agreement with Apple and, although the process has become much simpler and safer with each iteration, the Cupertino company may refuse to support your device if it fails during a jailbreaking attempt or while in a jailbroken state.