Windows Phone Unlock Tool Goes Official

judgecorp writes "A tool to unlock (or 'jailbreak' if you like) Windows Phone devices is now available with Microsoft's blessing. ChevronWP7 Labs was withdrawn at Microsoft's request a year ago, but is back now, allowing users to run any app on their phones for a cost of $9."

Re:Seriously?

[mr1911]

Not so much forward thinking as trying to do whatever it takes to catch up in the market.

I doubt Microsoft would take such an action if their phone and apps store commanded the same market share as Apple's.

Re:Seriously?

[Desler]

Why? WinMo allowed you to install what you wanted without having to use an app store and to create apps you could use anything language that could be used for regular windows development. Apple's marketshare and app store success is the reason wp7 is more locked down.

Re:Seriously?

[h4rr4r]

BullFuckingShit. Very few android phones have unknown sources blocked and all those can have apps installed in other ways.

When I can do a git of the Windows phone code, then it is starting to get close.

Re:Seriously?

[nepka]

Losing to what? Windows market share has been really stable for like 15 years. OSX has gained some market share, but even that is tiny compared to Windows (especially outside US). Linux market share has always been around 0.5% and isn't changing anytime soon. Windows has so large market share (over 90%) that they really cannot get it much higher.

Re:Wow, I would not have believed this a decade ag

[im_thatoneguy]

You would not have expected Microsoft a decade ago to release an open operating system while Apple released a vertically integrated and closed down market?

Microsoft is many things, but bending over backwards to let anything run on their systems (including malware) has been one of the greatest strengths and weaknesses since the beginning.

Re:Wow, I would not have believed this a decade ag

[Riceballsan]

Microsoft has never been the direction apple is. While shutting out competition was always a strong stance of theirs. Preventing competition from running on their OS or any devices they run has never been a high priority. I do have to admit, Xbox is probably the most independent developer friendly console (out of the top 3 competitors of course), Microsoft has never attempted to discourage people from using any software on windows. That is kinda how MS kicked apples ass back in the day. (Macs were strongly against allowing competition to design hardware, Microsoft encoraged a huge compeating pricewar to drive down hardware prices and boost software sales.)

Re:Seriously?

[nepka]

Google already C&D'd and would had sued them for the parts they could. I'm sure they would kill it completely if it was possible (ie., they wouldn't have Linux licenses they have to follow).

Re:Seriously?

[MrHanky]

Ah, losing market share. What I find funny is that Windows 7 caught up to Windows XP's user share (according to StatCounter) in just six months more than the iPad used to catch up with Linux's (both happening pretty much at the same time, around these days). That's with Microsoft supposedly losing and the iPad supposedly heralding the post-PC era. I'd love to be losing like Microsoft.

Re:Seriously?

[Imbrondir]

It's a horrible day for software freedom in general when Microsoft gets applauded for charging you 9$ to install applications on a device that you already own.

Re:Seriously?

[Methos137]

No one gives a shit about the source. We care about being able to run our own apps on it. In this sense, android allows it just as easy as windows does, with apple saying "no sir, go f yerself, this is our empire". No one mentioned it being open source, just being open to allowing you to run what you want. Now get off your code cave troll and go back to your git repository.