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User profile for user: Scott Yoshinaga
Scott Yoshinaga Author
User level: Level 1
65 points

Unlocking iPhone can cause permanent damage!

For those of you who have plans to unlock your iPhone... don't do it!


I just read this today:
http://www.iphonenewsblog.com/2007/09/unlocking-iphone-can-cause-per.html


CUPERTINO, Calif., Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 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.

MacBook Pro 15", Mac OS X (10.4.6), Mac Pro 2 x 2.66

Posted on Sep 24, 2007 2:05 PM

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11 replies
User profile for user: Ansuz82
Ansuz82
User level: Level 6
8,285 points

Sep 24, 2007 2:07 PM in response to Scott Yoshinaga

The % of iPhones that have become bricked from hacks is very low. Even those that experienced problems could be fixed by a simple restore.

I agree that you shouldn't hack the phone, but at the end of the day Apple is going to make it sound a lot worse than it actually is since they are the ones who don't want you to do it in the first place.
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User profile for user: wsmeyer
wsmeyer
User level: Level 1
65 points

Sep 24, 2007 2:50 PM in response to Paul Judd

I'm only replying to what Apple specifically said "irreparable damage to the iPhone's software" - which in my opinion is nothing more than a poorly worded scare tactic.

Anyway, I seriously doubt that any of the unlocking software would rewrite the firmware as firmware is written in low level code and would take considerable time and effort to reverse engineer.

William.
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User profile for user: sneirbo2k7
sneirbo2k7
User level: Level 1
76 points

Sep 24, 2007 2:59 PM in response to wsmeyer

I think more precisely - the problem has to do with the Apple's software engineers having to deal with multiple setups if the hacking continues. They don't want to have to write updates that work for everyone if they don't control what's on there. This is the basic problem Microsoft has with Windows - they have to write an operating system that works for multiple hardware configurations and different user settings. It becomes a very expensive process to make something work for everyone. If you limit the number of variables, the process becomes very streamline and less expensive to deal with. It will seem like "micro-managing" to those who don't have to deal with it, but it is a very sound - and very APPLE-like - strategy.

I don't disagree with their statement - if you change something they didn't give you permission to change - then you deal with the consequences, not Apple! I'm actually more shocked they waited so long to address it.
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Unlocking iPhone can cause permanent damage!

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