Gizmodo
Not only are certain Apple stores voiding the warranty on hacked and unlocked iPhones, Apple's just released a statement saying the unlock process coupled with a future iPhone update may make your phones a useless brick. Apple "strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs," because the "permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone's warranty." Our advice to users: wait until Firmware version 1.1 is out later this week before you decide to unlock your iPhone. If you've already unlocked your phone, don't update until you know it's safe. Full release after the jump.
But first, the bricking. Was this done on purpose? Lam doesn't think so. Jacqui at Ars believes that the firmware was completed weeks ago, and the bricking is unintentional. It doesn't matter what the intent was: They didn't go out of their way to stop it, which is almost as uncool. Principles aside, this situation won't affect lots of us, since the majority of us don't have a reason to unlock. But bricking it entirely is something they should work really really hard to avoid, even if it costs them some revenue share from AT&T. My main concern is for the safe development of Apps that so far have done nothing but made the iPhone better.
"Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty." That photo above is what Lam's iPhone looks like now. Does this mean Lam's warranty is in the shitter? Because he didn't unlock my iPhone and nothing he did can't be fixed with a system restore. Going after the hacks, which have changed the iPhone from a good product to a great phone? That's idiotic.
There is a good side to all this, provided we can get Apple to make firmware that doesn't brick iPhones. The press release also mentions the feature updates via the firmware, like the Wi-Fi Music store. This is historically how the PSP firmware updates were made as "must haves" for owners. Unlocking an iPhone isn't nearly as appealing if it means you don't get the benefit of new features. So, if anything, the unlocking cat and mouse game should push Apple to make a lot more innovation, and quicker. A good thing, when you consider that the best iPhone innovations in the last few months are not the web apps or official Apple updates, but the third party hacks.
Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone's software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone's warranty.
Comments
Apple is so bright aren't they? Tell me this, aren't unlocked iPhones actually benefiting Apple more than hurting them? I mean, it opens up the phone to a number of different carriers. Hell, I'm with T-Mobile and was considering getting one because of the ability to unlock. AT&T are the ones that would be taking most of the blow.
Will this also effect JailBreaked phones too? If yes... Damn, I was really looking forward to playing Mario on the iPhone I was looking at for Christmas.
...and ring tones of my choice too from mp3's I already own.
only unlocked phones are affected right? because i cannot survive without installer.app
i dont think apple realizes how important those hacked native apps are, they actually make the phone much better by adding features apple for some reason is refusing to include *cough IM cough*
"Irreperable damage to the phones software"
Huh, I guess I didn't realize that code could be permanently be damaged. Oh, wait. It can't.
To me that doesn't sound like a threat, but more of a warning. I'm assuming that Apple are correct when they said that this unlocking software does permanent damage to the iPhone firmware.
This release doesn't read to me like 'if you unlock it, we're going to brick your phone out of malice' to me it seems like ' if you unlock, our updates might brick your phone.' I think that's a pretty subtle difference, but an important one, I don't think this is a threat, I think its a warning to less tech savvy people who think they will be able to unlock their iPhone without consequences, who will subsequently get pissed and blame Apple.
They signed an exclusive contract with AT&T that I'm guessing has some sort of provision that requires them to break locks within a specific timespan. I'm not surprised that AT&T is upset since it took Apple a full day to break the non-iTunes ringtone hacks and people like myself have been running around with unlocked iPhones for almost a month now.
It's a cat and mouse game that AT&T will have to give up on eventually but apparently not yet.
I believe ATT is starting to see a hit and cried to Apple. BooHoo!
correct me if im wrong, but if it does "brick" your iphone, dont you just have to connect it to itunes and reformat?
Doesn't it make you wonder why so many people want to buy a phone with so many limitations?
I'm just sayin'...
So what's preventing me from reverting the phone to a "virgin" condition before applying any firmware updates and then unlocking it again?
This press release sounds more like FUD designed to scare the clueless.
I'm sure the impetus is from AT&T - they paid Apple a lot of $$, and they want value from it. I would bet an unlocked iPhone that AT&T is contractually obligated to take steps to protect AT&T's exclusivity. It was a threat couched as a warning, make no mistake.
The Gizmodo headline is misleading. Apple says unlocking "may" or "will likely" cause a problem. That's pretty standard stuff; they don't want to deal with problems caused by unlocking. The headline says that it "will brick" and implies that Apple is acting with an intent to shut down the unlocking this week.
If I'm not mistaken, the accurate meaning of "brick" is that the device cannot be restored or reset by any means within the user's control. Apple's notice doesn't indicate whether the problem can be resolved with a reset, and of course they don't know because they don't know what mods you have made to your particular phone.
why update at all? just leave it as it is and if anything interesting comes out I'm sure the lovely hackers will sort it out for us...
I'll be waiting to see what happens to everyone else's phones with "Installer" before I update my phone. My iphone has become much more enjoyable with this addition and I'd hate to lose it.
@bandit:
Apple know EXACTLY what hacks are being used - I doubt their programmers live in a bubble or vacuum. Is it just coincidence that every update so far has "fixed" the jailbreaks? Doubt it! The are just making sure to protect themselves from any action and/or outcry by saying "we warned you", simple.
@mwalker05:
I'm pretty sure that once the phone is unlocked there's no going back, restore won't fix the problem, it didn't change mine anyway.
@Pixelantes Anonymous: actually... my take on this is that it is more of a warning to the non-technicaly types--- if you have an unlocked iPhone DO NOT upgrade!
Seems like a reasonable message from Apple. They probably don't want another wave of complaints (like w/ the price drop) for pushing an update that is not compatible with all the third party code that they didn't have a hand in.
-
That said: there is always a chance that iPhone owners will be able to reset the phone to stock software, apple the update, and re-unlock the phone with the new firmware... we just won't know until it is released though..... so speculation is pointless.
no, it is possible to do a reverse on the unlock with this phone if the update flashes the baseband.
"The unlock is not permanent. You can however upgrade/restore, as long as baseband is not updated. That means (as far as i know):
* If you have 1.00, phone will be locked when you upgrade to anything
* If you have 1.01, you can update to 1.02 since modem is not updated
* If you have 1.01 or 1.02 you can perform a restore in iTunes without locking it again
* If 1.03 is released, WAIT till we get confirmed that it's not updating baseband
* It will probably be possible in some way to prevent updates from writing the baseband firmware. Maybe spoofing version number on the phone or something?
"
My unlocked version works like a charm, installed many programs and had fun with it....
I am not in the US so it doesn't matter about the warranty part... but i certainly won't be upgrading the firmware till someone cracks it and makes it safe to do so...
I unlocked my iphone the day I got it, because there is no ATT coverage in the rural area where I live.
Yesterday I ran a restore on the firmware. I still had to JailBreak and run a fake activation, but the SIM unlock was still there. I did NOT have to Sim unlock my phone again.
This means that the firmware updates that we've seen so far, do not completely wipe the iPhone clean. Does this mean that my firmware is "irreparable damaged?" I don't know, but you can bet I'm not the first one in line for this upgrade.
I've been using my unlocked iphone since Friday and I am in love with it.
I'll wait until I know it's safe to update.
I don't have a contract with T-Mobile, so if I absolutely had to sign up with AT&T I probably could live with myself. (I frickin' hate AT&T).
Personally, I love it.
I hope apple continues to brick these phones.
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!
This doesn't affect things like AppTap right?
i am new to the iphone mania, but i am a class action lawyer. when you buy an iphone, do you have to sign something saying that you will not unlock the phone or that you will sign up with AT&T? What conditions do you agree to?
If not, what is to stop me from filing a class action on behalf of all users who unlocked their iphone and whose phones are now a brick due to Apple's intentional disabling update?
I guess apple's planning to make a coliseum v2.0 with all those bricked phones, eh?
::asks others to continue with funny brick pun jokes after the break::
@phildeaux:
I'm sure we ALL read over that part whilst pantsing, unboxing, pantsing a second time and eventually activating/unlocking the iphones as soon as we bought them.
I'll donate $1 paypal to someone who uncovers whether or not it's in the agreement
@ssjmichael: Yeah that sounds all good, but they have signed legal documents that tie Apple to ATT for 2 years. Which means that if you bring your phone in and it's not tied to ATT, they aren't responsible. And in the long run, the lawsuits will cost more than preventative maintenance. Although users will complain forever.
I agree with GRANDMASTERDIBBLER on the intent of Apple's statement.
As with many people here though, I thought I just won't upgrade since everything seems stable now. But then I remembered I'll probably get the next MacBook Pro that's released after Leopard debuts and that'll hose me if I ever try to sync my phone.
In the end, I may end up returning my phone (2 days old) and getting a the Blackberry Curve I initially wanted.
@bandit:
I think that's bricked.Ditto on the question of whether this update will "Brick" phones who are unlocked (i.e., can be used on other networks) and/or "jailbraked" (i.e., installer.app).
Since Lam and crew aren't about to touch this one, I think it's wise to take the high ground. In other words, DON'T UPGRADE until the more courageous and/or crazy users test the waters.
As an aside - I can understand why Jobs/Apple are issuing this missive: AT&T crying foul. I, however, don't understand why they would go after installer.app users.
While I'm an admitted Apple Fanboy, I'm so exhausted from all the Apple hype. Forget about checking e-mail. I'm constantly refreshing Installer.app to see what new updates are out. HELP ME!!!!!
@Niam: shut up nokia troll.
Anyways, heres a guide on how to relock your phone:
[www.tuaw.com]
I would just wait for the update to roll around. Nothing is unhackable.
@ranova:
Yeah - and after I follow those relocking instructions, I'm going to cure cancer, make Woz drop 100lbs, and implant a brain in Bush. All of which would be relatively easy compared to relocking the iphone. Sheeshh.....
The important question is: Why are the model's knees at two different heights?
It can be assumed that Apple has the unlocking software options available to them on Infinite Loop and have been testing what their update does to devices who used that software. Their warning seems like a not so subtle way of saying that the less astute will have problems if they install the update.
However, I do find it amusing that Apple fans can find a dichotomy in 'fault' here based on the likely scenario that AT&T is 'forcing' Apple to cause problems for unlocked phones.
1. Who forces Steve Jobs to do anything? Last I checked, Steve Jobs is the one that is able to force large companies to do whatever he wants.
2. Regardless of whether AT&T asked Apple to make things difficult for unlocked phones, Apple agreed to do it. If someone asks you to jump off a bridge, do you do it and put in your suicide note 'it is not my fault - they asked me to do it.'
Apple has been walking a fine lines with the iPhone from day one with the iPhone and they are not guiltless. Clearly AT&T is paying Apple some big bucks for every iPhone customer, and if you follow the trail of money here, it all leads back to Cupertino.
Not that I think there is anything wrong with that. These companies are both in the game of making money, and that is what they should be doing. My point is only that when you are looking for evil between AT&T and Apple, do not ignore the possibility that there is no angel.
Last time I checked the DMCA was amended last year to allow owners to "unlock" their cell phones as long as they were not being unlocked to illegally gain access to a cellular network. I smell a class action law suit if Apple goes through with this and bricks iPhones.
Hey if you made a deal with AT&T , they have to follow it to the letter. Perhaps some other carriers will be able to sell iPhones a year from now after they pay Apple a substantial price...
Cute picture! :)
@TommySez:
Just noticed that myself....and the kitty looks strange as well....
I can see her pussy.
HMMM coming from a PC development background (one of Apple's competitors) it looks like they are worried that some of the hacks they've seen employed out in the field are changing what they consider to be critical firmware. As such they can't guarantee to be able to anticipate hate the state of your device if you hack the phone. Note, they didn't say apps being added. They said hacks are changing already installed Apple firmware. Its kind of like if a user decided to modify the system BIOS of their PC and broke it. No one in the industry is going to honor the warranty if a user modifies the product in that fashion. Does it suck that the iPhone doesn't allow the installation of 3rd party applications? YES. Is it Apple's fault if a person modifies core OS applications/files on the device which a subsequent update might require to be in a particular state in order to work correctly? NO.
She certainly is a brick house.
If there's grass on the lawn, play ball.
@TommySez: Because her name is "Eileen"?