(1 votes, average: 8 out of 10)
Loading ...One bad Apple
While we in Canada wait with bated breath for Apple to bestow upon us the privilege of owning an iPhone, developments south of here might tarnish the World’s Coolest Phone’s hitherto unblemished reputation.
Apple’s software update has “bricked” (as in, rendered about as useful as a) iPhones hacked to work on networks other than AT&T’s in the States. Phones with third-party software freeze. Oh, and there have been some feature upgrades, but they seem to be quite beside the point.
Apple claims it wasn’t its intention to disable hacked phones, and it warned users in advance that the upgrade would make the altered phones “permanently inoperable.” It takes a more credulous person than me to believe there’s anything accidental about it.
Yes, tampering with the phone’s software is a violation of the licence agreement. Yes, Apple is entitled to control the use of its intellectual property. But releasing an update to brick a $600 phone, shortly after slashing the price of the iPhone so early adopters had to suck up a $200 beating, after shamelessly torquing the hype engine in the first place, smacks of arrogance. Owning an iPhone isn’t a status symbol anymore, it’s an acknowledgment of indentiture to Apple.
And it makes me a lot less inclined to pick up one of those shiny new iMacs.
Am I overreacting?
October 7th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
You are absolutely correct.
Apple has right to try to stop use of phone on other networks. They have contract with AT&T. They can even make a case for voiding warranty.
They do not have right to render phone useless or even to make it so that third party applications cannot be installed or run on the phone.
All the hype to drive up demand so that people would pay $600 was ridiculous. Slashing the price by 33% after only two months was worse. Rendering phones useless worst of all.
If you consider that they are doing this to their most avid fans it does make you wonder why you would want to be one of their customers!