iPhone SIM Unlockers Put on Notice by Apple
Apple has put SIM unlockers on notice that they may be causing “irreparable” damage to their phones by hacking them.
With a pending firmware update looming on the horizon, it seems Apple has decided to give those who have unlocked their SIM slots a chance to come back to the fold, as it were, before they close the gap.
In a statement issued today, Apple had the following to say:
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.
According to Mac Rumors, there is a way to set your iPhone back to the factory defaults by manually reflashing the firmware. From the tone of the release it sounds like you may want to do that sooner than later.
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September 24th, 2007
According to that absurd contract that iPhone users are forced to sign prior to selling their souls to AT&T, Apple is within their rights to do this. However, it’s not a good idea. The people unlocking their iPhones are a rather eclectic bunch and you can rest assured that someone will sue. Unlocking a phone is a private action and a personal right.
I’m not sure that Apple will want to defend purposefully inactivate private property in a court of law. Now that I fantasize even more widly, there might be a fair argument to be made that this constitutes criminal activity. Especially if groups of individuals band together to press charges.
Apple usually has PR carefully orchestrated. This was an enormously big blunder.
September 25th, 2007
Holy crap! Apple is a business! It’s not a way of life, and “Steve” is not your friend even if he is the only CEO that people call by his first name.
“Now that I fantasize even more widly, there might be a fair argument to be made that this constitutes criminal activity. Especially if groups of individuals band together to press charges.”
What color is the sky on your world? You might own the hardware, the software is a different thing altogether.