Why Cydia's Future is Uncertain and What It Means for Jailbreakers

Cydia’s app sales feature was disabled in Dec. 2018.

With app sales gone and momentum slowing, Cydia could cease operations entirely.

Some apps available at Cydia may also allow users to do things Apple doesnt want them to.

What Do I Need to Use Cydia?

An iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, withiOS 3or higher, that isjailbroken.

Many jailbreaks for iOS give you the option to install Cydia as part of the process.

If yours didn’t, you candownload the latest version of Cydia here.

The types of apps available in Cydia vary widely.

Some perform system-level tasks that Apple blocks from apps approved for the official App Store.

Some apps are intended for testing purposes only.

Just like in the official App Store, apps at Cydia are both free and for pay.

Paid apps cost anywhere from US$0.99 to $20 or more.

Remember: For the time being, at least, Cydia’s app-sales feature has been disabled.

YourApple Accountonly works for buying things from Apple (at the App Store or iTunes, for instance).

This is designed to protect users and promote good-quality software.

Cydia doesnt offer this kind of in-depth vetting of apps before they are available to users.

On the other, it ensures some level of quality.

Apple has specifically not supported jailbroken devices in the past, on the grounds that jailbreaking voids machine warranties.

In many ways, yes.

But in one crucial way, it doesn’t.

Cydia, however, is more like a directory or middleman than a store.