Apple today released the following statement:
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, 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.
Source: Apple Inc.
Duncan Martell reports for Reuters, “‘We are not doing anything proactively to disable iPhones that have been hacked or unlocked,’ Phil Schiller, Apple’s head of worldwide product marking told Reuters. Asked how widespread the practice of downloading unlocking software, he replied, ‘We do not know.'”
Martell reports, “There are a number of unlocking software programs on the Internet, and, at least two of them, iUnlock and Anysim, can cause the iPhone to stop working once its software is updated, Schiller said. ‘There may be others, but we don’t know all of them,’ he said.”
Full article here.
In a related article from earlier today, MacFixIt reports, “According to the Apple reps we spoke with, the addition of third-party applications will fall under the ‘accidental damage’ clause, and hence phones that are brought in for service with evidence of third-party software modification may be denied service, and potentially have their warranties permanently voided, meaning that future service will not be delivered.”
MacFixIt reports, “However, the Apple rep we spoke with said that — though this is information he is generally ‘not supposed to share’ this common sense fact with customers — iPhones that have been ‘hacked’ (received third-party software modifications) then restored to an original factory state will certainly be eligible for service. In other words, if Apple can’t prove that you’ve made third-party software modifications to the iPhone, it will have no grounds to terminate the warranty; a fairly obvious fact.”
MacFixIt reports, “The moral of the story: Restore your iPhone before bringing it in for service. You can do so by connecting it to your computer, then in iTunes, selecting your iPhone and click the Restore button under the Summary tab.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: It follows logically that users who have modified their iPhones’ software should restore their iPhones before installing Apple-supplied iPhone software updates or risk bricking their iPhones and/or voiding their warranties. Hacks are never supported by manufacturers. Solder iron-wielding iPhone hardware modders are, as always, completely on their own.
Ya Apple trying to scare people with tactics like this. Does Apple think its dealing with some punk kids. No we’re talking about major players in the hacker-software community. They know their stuff. Steve Jobs is purposely trying to sabotage his own iphones. But again does he really think there’s not a hack for that too already. Apple’s moves will be matched every step of the way. Hackers for Life!
Nope, walked away twice now and you keep following me. I honestly can’t figure out what your deal is. On the one hand, you make all these ridiculously tight-assed statements that make you seem like one of wizened grumpy Hollywood villains that want to destroy rock and roll and stop the kids from having their sock hop and on the other hand you keep following me around trying to get my attention like some heartsick, lovelorn little puppy. I’m sorry it didn’t work out with you and Justin but how many times do i have to tell you I’m not interested.
I had a heartsick, lovelorn little puppy once.
They LIE!
They are breaking your device intentionally. No software ever broke a hardware device. Not unless they built a bomb into it in the first place.
MicroApple is that what you are saying you did?
Is this how you show your thanks to people who buy your hardware, by declairing “Submit to enslavement or be destroyed!”
So much for the being the caring artsy folk.
Anyone else smell burning pork?
I think there’s going to be a media and consumer backlash if an update bricks their phones. Apple could have released statements a lot earlier once word of these hacks started to surface. Their silence on the issue (and maybe even implicit acceptance of it) served to encourage people to try the hacks.
Personally, I’m drooling over the phone, but I don’t want to leave US Cellular, so I haven’t bought the phone. I’m also not planning on getting the iPod touch or classic, and will stick with my 5.5g 80 gig instead.
Once the online, print and broadcast journalists start getting out articles that an Apple update junked hundreds or thousands of iPhones, it can’t help but have a negative effect on sales.
Look people, Apple makes money off every iPhone user each month (via royalities for the cell companies), so if you crack it (as I have), then they lose money. So they’re just protecting their investment which they’re entitled to.
Except that I live in a country where the iPhone is not sold, so Apple isn’t losing a penny by my having cracked it. In fact, they made $400 off me. Once the iPhone does come here, I won’t need to use the crack.
But the most important point was Jobs’ comment in England: It’s a “cat and mouse” game. What do think will happen a few days after the next update if cracked phones are affected? The hackers who cracked it will come up with a step by step procedure for restoring the crack. It’s that simple. I really don’t know what all this fuss is about…
Why do people feel that computer and computer-related products such as the iPhone should be open to hacking? Would you hack your car’s on-board computer, or how about your microwave’s? No, you wouldn’t. If car manufacturers warned against hacking, you’d accept their warnings. Apple has a right to protect the integrity of its product, especially one that must co-exist on a cellular network.
“Does Apple think its dealing with some punk kids.”
No, Apple KNOWS they’re dealing with punk kids… and those that grew up to be punk adults. Adults understand and fully recognize that their actions can have repercussions. Punk kids do what they want knowing that the rules don’t count because mom or dad will rush in to save them/buy them a new car/get them on the team/bail them out of jail/etc.
Here’s a perfect example
“Their silence on the issue (and maybe even implicit acceptance of it) served to encourage people to try the hacks.”
BUT the Principal never SAID I couldn’t smoke weed in the Gym!! By not saying anything he was practically BEGGING me to smoke weed in the Gym! I have no brain and no self control, but EVERYBODY’S DOING IT!!!
“Once the online, print and broadcast journalists start getting out articles that an Apple update junked hundreds or thousands of iPhones, it can’t help but have a negative effect on sales.”
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” /> Plus, reporters ENJOY making people look silly. I can imagine they’d get a lot of quotes then, in the voice over, report that Apple released a statement before the update that only modified phones would be affected, yet these users love for Apple is so strong, they applied the update anyway…
Actually, there will probably be a bump in sales and mom and dad re-buy phones for a lot of ’em
Can anyone define what irreparable software damage is? I don’t believe I have heard of it before.
Software can always be removed, replaced, or restored as long as there is not any hardware problems. I believe the iphone’s firmware can be restored to its original state.
It should not be a problem.
For those of you who do not know exactly what happens to the iPhone when it is software hacked, there are essentially two things.
Firstly the jailbreak. This simply unlocks all of the other non-phone features of the iPhone. This is a simple software mod that would be undone by a restore. If that’s all that’s been done to the phone, then there will be no problem restoring before updating it.
The second part is unlocking the phone for use with SIMs other than AT&Ts;. This part involves flashing new firmware into the modem of the phone itself. This part has the potential to brick the phone if a new operating system is loaded expecting to find certain firmware in the phone. Again, this is reversible but would need to be done carefully before updating.
I live in Australia and we are unlikely to get the phone here for another year. This is because our largest carrier (Telstra) is the most likely future partner with Apple and they are heavily promoting their 3G offering they are packaging as NextG. They are phasing out GSM and CDMA as quickly as they can, therefore we are unlikely to see an iPhone before a 3-4G HSDPA version is released.
I couldn’t wait that long to use a phone that actually works. I have used those horrible Windows Mobile phones and every other sort as well and they are all crap. Finally I have an enjoyable experience. I have no concerns about Apple releasing updates and in fact I welcome them as the iPhone is not perfect and there are features that I’m sure they will add in time. I also know that I chose to use the hacks and take responsibility for doing so. I also have complete confidence in the hacker community and simply will not update my iPhone until there is a new work around made available.
You said, “Apple FUD”
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
I say, “Microsoft troll.”
Buy Vista, hack it to pieces and see if they will help you. Infact, they have active software to shut you down and send you away.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> Even if you have real microsoft Vista software. LOL
Heck, Apple even told you how to be sneaky and make your system available for warrenttee work again, even after a software hack. What nice people.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
en
I think I understand why Apple is trying to keep a lid on the iPhone, and no, I don’t think greed is the main reason. I think it has to do with strategy.
But marketing kind of brought all this upon themselves with that commercial glorifying people who are “not fond of rules, and have no respect for that status quo” (you know, that Think Different one..)
<b>djfred:</d>
@theconfuzed1 You never should have borked your navigation software without backing up and having a clean way to get back….but that was just a metaphor, wasn’t it?
Unfortunately, it was not a metaphor. I work at the dealership though, so if there is a way to fix it, I will find it.
Apparently, in Honda’s nav system, the data is loaded from the DVD, to internal memory. I didn’t realize this. I mistakenly believed that the data was read directly from the DVD.
Since I didn’t allow the data to successfully transfer to the internal system, it’s now no longer bootable.
Unfortunately, there was no way to back this up. I go back to work tomorrow, and hopefully they will have some good news for me. The good thing is that I wasn’t attempting to “hack” anything. This was a genuine Honda DVD, that I loaded into a genuine Honda nav system. I’ve read some stuff lately online about ways to modify the nav system, and I’ve considered trying some stuff. This experience, however, has made me gunshy!
Stupid tag…
MW: Put. I should have put a ‘b.’
@theconfuzed1
Oops, sorry bout that. I’ve been seeing that car mod analogy on all the blogs since this story broke and assumed you were just doing your own riff on it. My reply was based on that assumption. Sorry if I came off an ass and I hope it all works out.
That was supposed to be “like” an ass.
Don’t beat yourself up about it. If nobody tried anything new, we’d still be living in caves, relying on AT&T;for cell phone service and be unable to email PNG attachments on our iPhones.