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iPhOWNED pt 2
Marty81
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
The iPhone was "unlocked" by a 17-year old hacker a little while ago, enabling the iPhone to be used with wireless carriers other than AT&T (among other things), but now, Apple's latest software update is bricking all hacked iPhones. It's also been reported to be deleting important information on non-hacked iPhones.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7017660.stm
The BBC wrote:Apple iPhone warning proves true
An Apple software update is disabling iPhones that have been unlocked by owners who wanted to choose which mobile network to use.
Earlier this week Apple said a planned update would leave the device "permanently inoperable".
Thousands of iPhone owners hacked their expensive gadget in order to unlock it for use with other mobile carriers and to run a host of unsupported programs.
There are also reports of the update causing issues with unaltered iPhones.
On Monday Apple issued a statement in which it said many of the unauthorised iPhone unlocking programs caused "irreparable damage" to the device's software.
The company said this would "likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed".
That warning has now proved correct as many owners are reporting their phones no longer work following installation of the update.
Apple requires iPhone owners to take out a lengthy contract with AT&T in the United States but there are a number of programs on the net that unlock the device for use with other networks.
Some owners are reporting on technology blogs and Apple's own forums that the update is deleting contacts information, as well as photos and music, on iPhones that have not been modified in any way.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7017660.stm
Marty81 on
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Seriously.
pleasepaypreacher.net
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7011772.stm
The latest update enables users to purchase music from the iTunes store with a button on the iPhone.
Can you turn updates off?
Why in god's name are they shitting all over their user base like this? Even if there are valid business reasons that allowing such freedom might be a bad idea, this kind of negative publicity will hurt.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/BlindProphet
pleasepaypreacher.net
The only way this would be sort of "acceptable" would be if they promised AT&T that they would protect the exclusivity of the iphone.
Still really dickish on them.
(Please, for the love of god apple, do NOT go down the Sony/PSP route with this
Honestly, all I care about is using the third party apps, and the Gizmodo info I saw yesterday tested out unlocking and third party apps on the iPhone, updating them without reverting them first. I wonder if there'll be a way to totally remove the apps, update, and then put the apps back on.
As unfortunate as this all is, I still cannot find any way to get a new pda/smartphone and mp3 player, that I like, that has the features I want for as much or less than the iPhone. I've got a great family plan deal with AT&T now, so I'd likely stay with them anyways, and other phones will have more expensive data plans, and I'm not going to find a satisfactory mp3 player for anything less than $150 to $200.
Oh and rack up 800 dollar bills by checking your email.
It depends on the nature of the hack, really. And honestly, I don't know if you can turn off official updates on a hacked iPhone (does anyone know?). Some of its features are notoriously difficult to change.
By checking your email, all the time, because you don't think to actually turn off the phone, in a foreign country.
pleasepaypreacher.net
Apple has been going down that path ever since they released the first Ipod.
I'd much rather work with Microsoft at this stage of the game.
pleasepaypreacher.net
Bundling a media player and browser with your proprietary operating system isn't much evil compared to bricking a 400 dollar phone because people dont like your shit on it.
It's funny because I bet hardly a single person on this entire forum uses the bundled media player or browser for windows.
I do. I'm using them both right now.
Besides their choice of bedfellows, how is this any more evil, really, than only allowing the Mac OS on Apple hardware? Isn't it just two sides of the same coin? Apple has always really, really likes their proprietary, self-contained systems, and that's exactly the setup they've got going with the iPhone and Big Evil AT&T.
-So sayeth the wise Alaundo
Mario Kart friend code: 227.692.747.075
Tetris friend code: 742.696.731.030
Pokemon code: 2921 5590 8486
Super Smash Bros. Brawl: 0602-5937-3565
Yeah I used IE and windows media player, though I also keep good internet security and keep my shit up to date.
pleasepaypreacher.net
It might be your stuff, that you bought, but it's still someone else's hardware and software design, they said not to change it, someone did, and they got caught. I'm all for the apple and microsoft (original xbox) method of bricking modded stuff. It's better than taking some sixteen year old to court or trying to sue them. ::shrug:: I kind of like the idea that some kid hacks an xbox or iphone, and some really well paid hacker for microsoft or apple says "nope, nice try though" and bricks your stuff. It's kind of a "we can fight dirty too" approach.
Also, everyone rushes to blame apple and say they're becoming evil, but I'm fairly sure this was an AT&T contract thing, because last I heard apple was already in the works to get rid of AT&T exclusivity on the next update.
It really isn't any worse. The problem is that far more people want an iPhone than the stereotypical "Mac user" population.
So while plenty of people would defend a Mac requiring proprietary hardware as "ensuring quality and performance" or just being "easier for the end user", it really didn't impact John Q Consumer.
Bricking the iPhone impacts a whole lot more people and is more of a public situation.
Keep in mind the phone has an i in front of it, literally and metaphorically making the actions and support of the phone up to the face of apple, but that does not mean they are pulling any strings.
Just like buying from the lowest bidder, there are similar pitfalls to selling with the highest bidder.
Not really. Despite the prevalent popularity of iPhone hacks on the internet (no doubt caused by the fact that it's a high profile device), John Q Consumer probably isn't running installer.app or unlocking his phone. Most people bought it to be an easy to use device with a pretty interface for the stock software and aren't using anything past that, thus this update (and all updates from Apple) won't affect them.
And if you're a tech-savvy person, what business do you have installing the official update to begin with? You know better than that.
Edit: English now.
or Brawl. 4854.6102.3895 Name: NU..
Read the Gizmodo updates on it. Unless I missed something, none of them were actually bricked. Apple disabled the unlock and(terribly) keeps the phones(until the hackers get around this) from re-activating for phone use, but the device continues to work for all other features I believe.
I really hope this is sarcasm. They are doing what they have to to keep a contract with AT&T, and thus, stay competitive. I have no idea why people are saying "I am mad because Apple is preventing me from doing something I probably shouldn't have done in the first place." We all knew that the iPod Touch was coming out, yet people went ahead and bought an iPhone anyway, hoping to hack it. Apple should not be responsible for risks that their customers take, especially when the product would work fantastically if they would use it the way they meant to be used.
I'm not a fanboy (much), but I couldn't be happier (except for Flash) with my iPhone. So $100 store credit and a warning to hackers and users that modded iphones will have issues ISN'T a good thing? Not many companies would give a warning.
Hell, Microsoft just put a stealth update through for XP that prevents repair of the OS. Possibly to drive sales of a certain other OS?
EDIT: I am aware that people are unlocking not just to use the iPod and other functions, but to use it on other networks as well. Why is this such a big deal with the iPhone in particular? Haven't a BUNCH of phones been exclusive to certain network?
Just like with the PSP, newer updates disable certain user wants. Except now it bricks it.
I mean, I'm pissed at Apple, but I don't yet think it's a huge deal, and Microsoft's no fluffy bunny.
Eh?
Indeed, both Halo 2 and Shadowrun will run on XP, it's just not officially supported (which I am 100% convinced is solely to help promote vista.
Meh, I'm gonna wait to see how this works, and in the meantime hopefully(but pessimistically) find both a phone and mp3 player that I like that won't cost me even more.
In addition, you can unlock pretty much any GSM device. you just need to know how to be able to do it. The US Copyright Office has put forth a specific exemption to the DMCA to allow everyone to unlock their cell phones without fear of legal action. No other company is bricking or deactivating phones that have been unlocked.