Even open source platforms such as Google’s Android has limitations on how far a developer can customize it. This is the case with Google and the Cyanogen Mod for the Android.
The big argument is that most custom ROMs are designed to deliver for free what first party applications require you to pay for. While this will save the user money from having to pay and download an application, it also makes commercial developers lose some cash, as such, manufacturers would have the right to discourage or completely ban the usage of custom ROMs.
The Android is not the only one, custom builds of the Windows Mobile operating system have been around for quite a while.
The fact of the matter is, digital software is easily modifiable –provided you have the skills and the know-how, and there are people who dedicate hours, weeks and even years of their lives doing nothing but contributing free to download modifications. It is not illegal to use these mods, but it will certainly void your warranty.
This practice does not only happen in mobile phones, other electronic gadgets that have firmware and operating systems can also be modded. One of the most active homebrew and mod communities is the one for the Sony PSP. Despite Sony’s continuous efforts to create new security patches with each update, there are always new custom firmware and mods designed to allow users to run homebrew code.
While homebrew is not illegal by default, there are homebrew codes that allow users to run game ROMs on the PSP. While this is a perfectly good way to preserve your UMDs, it also encourages the download and spreading of illegally obtained ROMs.
For more details and the complete news article about custom ROMs for mobile phones and the policies of companies regarding it, go to Softpedia.
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