Here's Why You Probably Shouldn't Jailbreak Your Apple Watch

Jailbreaking any device can give you access to parts of it you wouldn't normally be able to get to. It can also allow you to do things like download apps not available on the app store or perform other tasks that aren't possible otherwise. You might have already heard about jailbreaking an iPhone, but it's also possible to jailbreak an Apple Watch, first demonstrated in 2018 by Tihmstar on the Apple Watch Series 3 (via Cult of Mac). This jailbreak can allow developers to see what's going on behind the scenes on an Apple Watch. It can also allow for changes to be made to the watch that couldn't otherwise be done. 

Jailbreaking seems harmless on the surface, as long as you know what you're doing. However, there are a few pitfalls to that you should be aware of if you're thinking about jumping into the venture.

iOS devices come with a ton of security measures baked in. This means not much is needed for the user to do security-wise besides follow basic safety precautions. However, when a device is jailbroken, this can open it up to a slew of security issues. It can make your watch more vulnerable to malware, as well as suspicious apps that could infect your watch or be used as spyware (via Gizmo Grind.)

Jailbreaking also has the potential to void any Apple warranty you have on the device, since it is a violation of the "iOS end-user software license agreement" as stated by Apple. This means they may deny you customer support if your watch breaks and they find that it was jailbroken. You could, however, attempt to return the watch to its factory settings so the jailbreak goes undetected, as many people do with iPhones.

Another negative that could arise from jailbreaking an Apple Watch is services being rendered unusable. This could mean things like iCloud, Apple Pay, iMessage, Weather, Stocks, and more. These services rely on iOS's normal structure to operate, which a jailbreak could interrupt. It could also cause security issues with these services. 

Overall, jailbreaking an Apple Watch should only be done if you know what you're doing and have a good reason for doing so. If the benefits outweigh the risk and you have the know-how, you'll likely be better off. If you're new to jailbreaking, it's probably best if you stay away from doing this with your Apple Watch, as the consequences could prove dire. You could always try to factory restore it, but there's no guarantee that it would work, meaning you could end up with a permanently broken Apple Watch if something were to happen to it.