Why Microsoft authorized a $9 Windows Phone jailbreak

The creators of smartphone platforms have to perform an unusual balancing act. Every platform now has a first-party application store of some kind. But each platform makes its own set of particular trade-offs, weighing up openness and accessibility, protection from malware, and prevention of piracy. With the release of the independently-developed but Microsoft-authorized ChevronWP7 homebrew tool, Redmond is trying to strike a new balance with Windows Phone.

The two dominant smartphone platforms, iOS and Android, have very different approaches to software development. On the one hand, we have Apple's thoroughly locked down iOS platform. Unlocking a phone to allow software development requires a $99/year fee paid to Apple. There's no provision for developing or distributing applications without this payment, even as hobbyists, and all distribution that does occur must meet Apple's rules and guidelines.