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You supposedly "own" the iPhone that you purchased. Why shouldn't you be able to install the software you prefer?

Apple's control of your iPhone hardware is not a natural state. They maintain that control through the power of copyright, granted by the government. Modifying iOS and iPhones to allow running arbitrary software is feasible, but distributing such modified copies is illegal due to Apple's copyright, enforced by the courts. If anyone could copy and modify iOS at will then they would soon lose that control.

Copyright is not an inalienable right like the right of ownership of real property. It is a monopoly granted by the government for a specific purpose. If it is being exploited in ways that are contrary to that purpose, or otherwise undesirable, the government should be looking at whether the copyright that they granted should be limited or rescinded.



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