The reason why I hear about jailbreaking an iOS device is because of the number of things that you can do on your iOS device. It takes the Apple experience up a notch when you have the ability to install tweaks and customize the phone in ways that Apple wouldn’t really allow you to do without a jailbreak. However, jailbreaking a device is not for everyone, but there is an app that allows you to explore the advantages of a jailbroken device without having to jailbreak it.
Let me introduce you to Extensify, an app that aims at extending the possibilities of your iOS device by giving you the opportunity to tweak third-party apps without jailbreaking your iOS device.
The way it works is that you first install Extensify through a configuration profile on your device. Once Extensify is trusted, you will have the ability to explore its app store which will allow you to download tweaks. The app sends a request to the iTunes App Store which allows it to download a fresh copy of the host application. Then it repackages the app along with the tweaks that it calls Exos and then the request is returned to the device which side loads the application. The apps are not hosted by Extensify, they simply own the tweaks.
If you plan to use Extensify then this is how you go about doing so:
- Download Extensify app from the App Store.
- Once the download is complete, the app will be installed and you will notice the new app icon on your home screen.
- Click on the app icon and login.
- Once you login, you will notice the different Exos available on the store which you can use with different apps.
- Look for your favorite tweaks and install them to your device. You will notice that the app that has been modified with the tweak has a + sign next to it on your home screen.
All apps with the + sign have been tweaked. You will also have access to the stock version of the same app. This means that you will notice two versions of the same app on your iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch. For example, you modify the YouTube app with the Cercube Exo, you will notice on modified version and a second stock version of the app. You can choose to delete the stock version or keep it to use them alternatively.
Till the time you do not delete it, two versions of the same app will be available for you on your device. The developer team are trying to come up with new Exos which will help create more opportunities for non-jailbroken devices. Developers are being welcomed by the Extensify team to create Exos which will be vetted before they make it to the app. At least we can now install tweaks on non-jailbroken devices.