Apple Makes Good On Promise And Bricks Hacked iPhones

Well, you can’t say Apple didn’t warn people. Earlier in the week Steve Jobs issued the warning that hacked iPhones ran the risk of being broken when Apple released software updates. Thursday brought the first of these, iPhone 1.1.1 update and, sure enough, iPhones who had been hacked to work on other networks suddenly found themselves with some problems.

The nature of the problems seemed to vary from phone to phone, with some phones turning out completely “bricked” (unusable and in need of a new SIM card) while others simply had problems running third-party software, but the message was loud and clear: Apple doesn’t want you messing with their product.

As you might expect, the response was equally clear: we don’t care. The same people who developed the software hacks immediately began work on new hacks and overcoming Apple’s pervasive software update. Of course, they kind of have to if they want their iPhones to maintain the flexibility the users want, because Apple’s response to customer problems with iPhones that were carrying third-party software was that the warranty had been voided, according to the New York Times, which quotes several users whose opinion of Apple has gone down in the last few days.

For those who want to picture Apple as a dark-masked tyrant, the iPhone 1.1.1 update actually did some good. Sure it reinforced the company’s stronghold on their product, but it also fixed flaws in the Safari browser, the mail client, and a major Bluetooth bug according to PC World. That last flaw was a significant security risk that could have exposed the iPhone to a remote exploit.

It’s an interesting debate. When the consumer purchases an iPhone technically it becomes their property and they should be able to do with it what they want, especially since (thanks to the power Apple has imbued the product with) this is essentially a computer. If Apple doesn’t want people changing their phones, and is threatening to break phones that have been altered, perhaps the company should move into leasing and renting the devices instead of selling them outright. At least then it would make sense that Apple wanted to hold so much control over what users can and can’t do with the iPhone.


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