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Apple Bans iFixit Repair App From App Store After Apple TV Teardown
alphadogg writes: iFixit, the fix-it-yourself advocate for users of Apple, Google and other gear, has had its repair manual app banned from Apple's App Store after it conducted an unauthorized teardown of Apple TV and Siri remote. iFixit blogged "we're a teardown and repair company; teardowns are in our DNA -- and nothing makes us happier than figuring out what makes these gadgets tick. We weighed the risks, blithely tossed those risks over our shoulder, and tore down the Apple TV anyway." iFixit does still have Windows and Android apps, and has no immediate plans to rewrite its Apple app to attempt being reinstated.
They very publicly break the NDA for personal profit and expect no action? They're lucky the actions by Apple weren't more sever honestly.
While I like iFixIt they purposefully broke the terms of the agreement and got their just punishment.
The fact that this phrase even exists is a testament to how fucked up things have gotten.
What the fuck does "unauthorized teardown" even mean? Since when do I purchase a physical object, bring it into my home, and some other entity has some legal right to prevent me from opening it?
Well, it is. It may be their walled garden, but people have the right to repair (and this was argued for cars a *lot*).
Tearing down something available to the public is par for the course. Apple should be not giving a stuff that someone decided to do this and should carry on as normal.
Instead, they're just showing people that they shouldn't anger the fruit.
Apple is the most vile tech company in existence and has been so since the Apple I.
No Suprise here!
It will be a very cold day in HELL before I buy any of your crap products.
bad link to the iFixit blog link
here's the correct one
http://ifixit.org/blog/7401/if...
"For I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and Long Words Bother Me"
If by first you mean after the first post then yes you are first.
I don't understand why an "informational" website would be done as an iOS app instead. Why give Apple that level of control over yourself? Just make a regular website, and then they can't pull the plug on your content!
An app should be for extremely interactive content only.
In a perfect world,
Seems like device teardown might be authorized when the device is sold.
As in: I bought it, it's mine, so yes, I can take it apart if I wish.
Publishing the results of the teardown would have to tread a fine line not to copy and copyrighted stuff.
In this world,
Perhaps it is more like,
We are big (but still very nice touchy feely gui guys) and you have do do what we say.
How is it that Google is being scrutinized for anti-trust (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-25/google-said-to-be-under-u-s-antitrust-scrutiny-over-android-iezf41sg) when Apple has been behaving like this for years? I don't want to start a flame war (I've used mac laptops forever), but I don't see how they continue to fly under the radar.
App appers who app apps get apped!
Apps!
Seriously, I am speaking from ignorance about the specifics, but aren't the products in question, on the market? I think I have been hearing about Siri and AppleTV for many years, not as vaporware, but as something that is actually out there. It seems unlikely that any sort of NDA would have existed. No?
I am confident that I could find an AppleTV out there somewhere which I could purchase without signing anything.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Comment removed based on user account deletion
One of the reasons people buy iDevices (and Macs to a certain extent) is the fact that everything is provided in a neat little package that just works. The downsides are that you don't get to question how it works, and therefore Apple can just yank your app (and therefore your direct or ad revenue) if they decide they don't like you. Ironically, this is also a strength for the platform - they control the hardware and software. Android's wild west app store is a lot more chaotic, as is their hardware outside of the Samsung/Nexus flagship models. Microsoft's store is even stranger - back when they were paying developers to write apps, anyone who could open Visual Studio hacked up a skin for YouTube or created hundreds of apps that had different names but did the same thing. By contrast, you can give an Apple product to a knowledge-free consumer and be confident that they'll at least figure out the basics and won't be tripped up by weird problems.
The fact that everything is super-miniaturized and functionality is provided on non-repairable systems-on-chips makes things hard to repair, this is true. However, I don't understand why Apple refuses to let people see behind the curtain, even if they can't do board-level repairs. I agree that there is a lot of engineering and design that goes into stuffing all those components into a tiny rounded rectangle Jobsian (Iveian?) package with no buttons, but we're not talking trade secrets here.
I do think that people should have the right to repair. Not everyone wants a throwaway appliance that is made that way for no good reason other than to make money on the next model, or the ability to charge $100 for $2 worth of flash memory.
“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
Oh, unless they do things that we don't like. Then we ban them.
Slowly, but surely, Apple is making the Apple Walled Garden a place where you can only sing the Apple-sanctioned songs.
While I am all for being able to do anything to my personal devices, I believe they did a tear down on a Development kit of the Apple TV which they distributed to app creators. I'm sure there was a clause regarding tear down and app removal.
They very publicly break the NDA for personal profit and expect no action? They're lucky the actions by Apple weren't more sever honestly.
But was the NDA valid?
Ah, that's slashdot for you.
One poster speculates that they signed a NDA (phrasing it as a statement, not a speculation) and that they violated the hypothetical terms of the hypothetical NDA that they hypothetically agreed to. Another poster speculates on whether the hypothetical NDA, whose hypothetical terms we don't actually know, was valid.
To quote Twain, "There is something fascinating about slashdot. One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact."
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Nice speculation. You get such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
I love the iFixit self-repair manifesto:
http://www.networkworld.com/ar...
We hold these truths to be self evident... If you can't fix it, you don't own it.
Bravo, iFixit!
"and the offending developer account had been banned."
So make a new developer account and resubmit the same app to the store? Why would they need to rewrite it?
Wow, this must be a first... a small bunch of nerds takes on Apple, the richest company in the world... and the /. cowards weigh in on the side of Apple!
Je suis iFixit
The summary is pretty bad on this one.
Right after the Apple TV 4 (ATV4) was officially announced, Apple put a form on their Developer's site to give some of them away to developers. These are pre-release units, and the packaging on them even says "Developer's Edition" or something on it. There was a (since pulled) eBay auction showing the packaging.
Part of the agreement in getting this unit was an NDA which stipulated, amongst other things, that you can't take it apart.
iFixit got an ATV4 as part of the giveaway and decided to violate the NDA and get an exclusive article in the process. Since the developer program was what they used to get the ATV4, the developer program is what they were kicked out of. As a result their iOS app got yanked as well.
Several people have noted that their iOS app hadn't been updated in years (may still have been on the 3.5" screen) and so the app itself isn't much of a loss. The summary says something about being "rewritten" but that doesn't make any sense - if iFixit were to get another developer account they could just put the same app up again from the same source code. The content of the app is not what was offensive to Apple, it was the NDA violation. It may need to be upgraded for modern phones (i.e., be adaptive to the iPhone 6/6+ screen sizes) but it doesn't need to be rewritten in order to adhere to Apple's policies.
iFixit entered into an agreement with Apple that had consequences. It violated that agreement and so it's suffering the consequences. Which it knew would happen and it didn't care about. And since it's an old app that's being pulled it's not much of a loss to them, not compared to the exclusive early article and coverage this stunt's consequences has given them.
But to clarify for everyone, this wasn't a review unit, it wasn't on loan, it was a unit Apple gave them and other developers in order to develop for it early before the actual thing is released. And really, a number of developers didn't get these units and so to some extent the idea that iFixit got one not intending to write an app for it but instead just want to tear it down for page clicks and ad impressions is sort of offensive. If they had waited for the thing to be in stores and bought one retail and then tore it apart they would be in the clear.
Schnapple
Fuck you, Apple. If I buy a TV, it becomes mine. It is no longer yours. If I want to take it apart and show all my friends how I did it, that's my business, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.
Now get you and your shitty crap off my lawn.
So they can try all they want. Patented. We know how well that works.
While this is scant information, I would assume ...
Exactly.
assume
verb
verb: assume; 3rd person present: assumes; past tense: assumed; past participle: assumed; gerund or present participle: assuming
1. suppose to be the case, without proof.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
I can see it's obvious that Apple had recourse to some legal action as iFixit essentially took their property apart without permission/authorization. However, if they wanted to punish iFixit they should have done it through the courts. Just arbitrarily removing their app from the app store could have legal repercussions for Apple if iFixit decide to pursue them.
Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
For the record, I'd happily wear the "Slashtard" label long before I'd ever consider becoming an iTard.
Does violating Apple, in any way, automatically get you booted from the AppStore? It's good that Apple is displaying this now, before they get too powerful for people to realize their true nature.
Well when ESR develops his own hardware, you'll have complete freedom to do whatever you like with it. He won't though, because he, is one of the Free Software flock that rely on the cathedrals (such as Apple) to produce hardware.
Did you read the article? iFixit admits this:
Just where exactly in the quoted text does the phrase "NDA" occur?
Oh-- it doesn't.
iFixit knew that Apple would not be happy with them disassembling it but did it anyway.
"not happy" is not a synonym for "signed a NDA."
Reasonable speculation. Plausible. Fits the known facts. Very likely it's even correct.
Still: this is a speculation.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
And again I will say FUCK APPLE. Again, people ignore me. Whatever. I'm a proud non-owner of Apple products.
First off, you're an idiot.
Both Google and Microsoft also send out pre-release versions of hardware which are restricted use under NDA. iFixit can do whatever they want when they buy an Apple TV from a store.
Grow up. Nobody cares if you think Apple users are stooges. Apple users don't think about you at all.
Thank you, Apple... for not only lending us the device and giving us an early shot at tearing it down, but also for temporarily de-listing our app and manufacturing clickbait controversy that is pushing our page views through the roof.
We know you have other choices in your guerilla marketing campaigns and appreciate you choosing us over them.
Love the kits they sell, I got one for my MBP when the battery needed changing came with all the doodads you needed to get it done (plus a better battery).
Same with my buddies iphone battery, little kit came with everything plus battery for $30.
I like ifixit, and fuck Apple.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
Or maybe follow adult type, agreed upon rules. It's a walled garden, not a playground.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
It seems likely that the developer account would be registered in the developer's name (perhaps Kyle Wiens), or perhaps in the company name, which is probably something like IFI LLC. It probably wasn't registered using the domain name of the web site.
So even assuming someone at Apple looks at all new developer accounts, how are they to know that Kyle Wiens is associated with ifixit.com? Should Apple launch an investigation of everyone who wants a developer account?
The more you tighten your grip, the more developers will slip through your fingers.
Why don't we look at your rampant speculation?
In the face of more and more evidence that you were wrong, you are simply doubling down on your speculation and frankly your ignorance.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
What the headline isn't telling you is that what they tore down wasn't a retail unit, it was a developer unit. And Apple didn't specifically pull the iFixit app, they canceled the developer account for violations of the developer agreement.
I don't like Apple or their secretiveness, but in this case, it seems to me they are in the right: if you get a developer unit under a special development agreement, you should abide by your agreement.
You are speculating that Apple gave the unit to ifixit in the first place. They aren't the kind of company that reviews pre-release hardware. Seems more likely ifixit got it from a friend and that friend would be the one that violated the NDA.
You ask what risk there might be besides NDA violation? Well, Apple has given you answer already - banishment from the walled garden. Why isn't Apple suing ifixit for violating the NDA? Oh yeah, ifixit never signed one in the first place.
> In the face of more and more evidence that you were wrong, you are simply doubling down on your speculation and frankly your ignorance.
Pot, kettle, bang!
The article never mentions a Non-Disclosure Agreement, and it never said iFixit was referring to the the developer NDA when they referred to Apple's "intent".
So yeah, whole arguments develop over conjecture.
The only thing for sure is that iFixit knew that Apple might not like it. They knew Apple might take action, and they were OK with that.
Puts Apple in a bad position for coming down hard on people for doing exactly what they usually do.
You are speculating that Apple gave the unit to ifixit in the first place
Did you RTFA or the thread? iFixit admits that the AppleTV was a developer unit.
The developer unit we disassembled was sent to us by Apple.
Seems more likely ifixit got it from a friend and that friend would be the one that violated the NDA.
It is also a fact that the new AppleTV is not on sale yet. So where would iFixit get an Apple product that is not for sale yet? You say "a friend?" Because Apple just hands out units to people. Again iFixit admitted they got it from Apple. Thus, it is considered a fact.
You ask what risk there might be besides NDA violation? Well, Apple has given you answer already - banishment from the walled garden.
Er, what? Let's frame your argument to see if it makes sense. iFixit is worried about the risks of disassembling and posting pictures of an AppleTV. In their history, they've done this to every Apple product so far. So what are they worried about now? By your argument, they are worried about being banned in a walled garden for doing something that they've done so many times before. Yet this time, they had to think it over and weigh the risks of app banning for something unrelated to their apps? Or is this situation different from all the other times when they bought an Apple product to disassemble?
Why isn't Apple suing ifixit for violating the NDA? Oh yeah, ifixit never signed one in the first place.
And you are sure Apple won't sue for an NDA violation? Who's speculating now?
Pot, kettle, bang!
Disregarding facts seem to be your strong suit.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
From TFA:
"A few days later, we got an email from Apple informing us that we violated their terms and conditions—and the offending developer account had been banned. Unfortunately, iFixit’s app was tied to that same account, so Apple pulled the app as well. Their justification was that we had taken “actions that may hinder the performance or intended use of the App Store, B2B Program, or the Program.”
AFAIK, "terms and conditions" should not equate to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Maybe someone was under the influence of dyslexia, and injected NDA into the discussion after seeing/swapping letters in "DNA"?
I won the Apple TV lottery and have a unit sitting here on my desk. I never saw terminology that indicated it was lent. And if you look at the terms from the Apple fanboi Daring Fireball blog, it says you can't "resell" it. So even though it only cost me a dollar plus tax, I still interpreted that as a purchase.
Of course iFixit's position appears legally indefensible, however for people who actually believe Jobs' famous "misfits/rebels" speech and are admirers of the illustrious Woz from days of yore, it's natural to take iFixit's side.
Does anyone really think that people who use Apple products fix anything themselves?
iFixit is probably laughing their heads off.
You are welcome on my lawn.
My playgrounds never had concertina barbed wire or a moat containing sharks with fricking lasers on their heads.
In their history, they've done this to every Apple product so far. So what are they worried about now?
But can you show me any other Apple product teardown by iFixit that was POSTED before the product's Availability Date?
You understand you're being trolled by an AC, right? Disregarding facts to gen ire is the foundation of Trolldom.
From TFA:
"A few days later, we got an email from Apple informing us that we violated their terms and conditions—and the offending developer account had been banned. Unfortunately, iFixit’s app was tied to that same account, so Apple pulled the app as well. Their justification was that we had taken “actions that may hinder the performance or intended use of the App Store, B2B Program, or the Program.”
AFAIK, "terms and conditions" should not equate to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Maybe someone was under the influence of dyslexia, and injected NDA into the discussion after seeing/swapping letters in "DNA"?
The Apple Developer Terms and Conditions DOES prohibit the release of Trade Secrets regarding "Pre-Release Materials", so yes, it is a de facto NDA, which iFixit clearly violated.
Taking bets the new apple tv has 'something' added such as an always-on microphone, reporting directly to the NSA or a secret camera thats pointed directly at the person watching TV.
Sounds like typical conspiracy crap right? Hell it's not like Apple isn't doing the camera-trick with El Capitan right now is it?
Interesting note (from an ex-OSX developer) - if you start examining various parts of the code the camera in the new macbook turns off until the next reboot..pretty much like the 'defeat device' tried to hide itself during emissions testing.
I don't understand why an "informational" website would be done as an iOS app instead. Why give Apple that level of control over yourself? Just make a regular website, and then they can't pull the plug on your content!
Websites are a drag... you can't steal nearly as much data from a website as you can from an app.
So you're saying it's a garden of pure ideology?
Flowery language, but development licenses are pretty cheap, they charged very little for the pre-release unit, and they were fine with taking photos (not necessarily with a teardown, but not too upset). What they want is for you to keep your yap shut about pre-release stuff until it's released.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
If iFixit broke an NDA or not is not important. If they did Apple can ask for the $149 back or sue them in court. However, apart from legal actions Apple is in a position to punish evildoers further by kicking them out of their Appstore. This certainly did not happen in the name of the Apple customers who cannot install the iFixit app anymore. This shows once more that a Walled Garden is an evil thing.
Did you RTFA or the thread? iFixit admits that the AppleTV was a developer unit.
And Developer units of Google Glass were paid property of the developer. You are making assumptions not supported by the facts.
And you are sure Apple won't sue for an NDA violation? Who's speculating now?
You, speculating that there was an NDA.
Learn to love Alaska
The Apple Developer Terms and Conditions DOES prohibit the release of Trade Secrets regarding "Pre-Release Materials", so yes, it is a de facto NDA, which iFixit clearly violated.
Congratulations-- this is the 23rd post in the thread responding to the comment "What NDA?" ...but the first one which has actually provided a link to answer the question, instead of just repeating the assertion.
http://www.geoffreylandis.com
I'm a frequent and very happy iFixit user and customer. But really, an app?
See, I've got this other app on my phone. It's called "Browser". It's the creaky old pre-Chrome Android browser, dog-standard and unchanged since my first HTC Desire running Gingerbread. And this app loads up the contents of the iFixit website just freaking fine.
"App"? Do people really install apps that deliver nothing besides repackaged web content? Have we, as a civilization, really sunk this far?
I weep for the future.
I would be inclined to tage the article "andnothingofvaluewaslost", but that would only speak of this pointless app, and not iFixit's actual content and value in the community.
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
And Developer units of Google Glass were paid property of the developer. You are making assumptions not supported by the facts.
Can you read the thread above? iFixit has already admitted that it was a developer unit that came from Apple. I'm not assuming anything when iFixit admits it was a developer unit. They didn't buy it as it is not on sale. They didn't "get it from a friend."
You, speculating that there was an NDA.
And you are speculating that Apple would hand out hardware before the sale date to developers without an NDA. I'm not sure what world you live in.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Right. Tell you what, I'm going to speculate that you are an adult male living in the western hemisphere. You haven't told me this is so, but I can *infer* it. Although at this point I'm thinking we can also infer that you have a thick skull and can't back down from a position once you've taken it.
And you are speculating that Apple would hand out hardware before the sale date to developers without an NDA. I'm not sure what world you live in.
I'm not speculating anything. Your false dichotomy asserts that if I want to see evidence from you to prove your assumption, that I must believe the opposite. That's a dangerous (and stupid) logic.
Learn to love Alaska
Those terms are not a valid contract and not legally binding on anyone.
Televisions are a dime a dozen these days. Use another one, nothing special about iTelevision!
1. if someone is going to buy an apple tv or not they will buy an apple tv (or not) whether iFixIt does a teardown or not.
2. if someone is going to wait to buy an apple tv until they find out what iFixIt does, they will either buy one if they like what they see or they'll not buy one if they don't like what they see. Whether or not iFixit does the teardown early won't make that person change their decision one way or another - whether they decide on buying one early or not or buying one or not after it goes public.
So i don't get what they are so afraid of.
I'm not speculating anything.
Again, can you scroll up? Can you read the article? Can you read the blog from iFixit? They all say the same thing: It was a developer unit from Apple. The AppleTV 4th gen is not for sale to the public yet so Apple is the really the only source for the unit.
Your false dichotomy asserts that if I want to see evidence from you to prove your assumption, that I must believe the opposite. That's a dangerous (and stupid) logic.
I have to prove your false assumption and disprove my own. All the while you are not accepting the word of iFixit that they had a developer unit. In your world a company that gives out presale developer units to developers do not normally have them sign NDAs. Do I have that right?
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Those terms are not a valid contract and not legally binding on anyone.
Sez you. Prove it.
Also, keep in mind that they signed a SEPARATE, specific AppleTV Pre-Release Agreement, as per another Slashdotter who also received the AppleTV kit, the relevant portion seems pretty clear, and assuming it isn't a hoax, I would say that iFixit clearly violated same.
It was a developer unit from Apple.
So? Developer units for Google Glass from Google are 100% the property of the developer.
You keep repeating "developer unit" like that has some meaning not proven. You are speculating lots.
I have to prove your false assumption and disprove my own.
I've made no assumptions, false or otherwise.
All the while you are not accepting the word of iFixit that they had a developer unit.
If you spent less time lying to make up false assumptions on my part, you'd have less assumptions by me to disprove.
In your world a company that gives out presale developer units to developers do not normally have them sign NDAs. Do I have that right?
Nope. But feel free to lie some more, it helps distract yourself from your own false assumptions and speculation.
Learn to love Alaska
You can't blame Apple. It hadn't been released to the public yet..
iFixit admitted that their iTunes Connect account was registered under the same account that received the preview unit. Only registered developers could get the preview units. They didn't have to investigate anything. They followed through on the terms of their binding contract and terminated the account of someone who breached the contract. It's as simple as that.
I don't understand why an "informational" website would be done as an iOS app instead. Why give Apple that level of control over yourself? Just make a regular website, and then they can't pull the plug on your content!
An app should be for extremely interactive content only.
1. They didn't stop iFixit from disseminating their information by pulling the App for the iOS App Store. There is both an Android version of the App, as well as their regular website.
As to why an App, I have never used it myself; but having tried to use the iFixit website on a tablet while replacing the Trackpad in a friend's MacBook Pro, perhaps the App was a little better formatted for use on a tablet than the website.
ifixit got a developer ATV because they are a developer who was picked. The developer TOS includes an NDA which they were bound by. They broke their developer agreement, so their developer account and associated cert was revoked.
So? Developer units for Google Glass from Google are 100% the property of the developer.
Apple is not Google. That's your terrible assumption.
You keep repeating "developer unit" like that has some meaning not proven. You are speculating lots.
So what you're saying is you don't understand what a developer unit is. But you feel free in voicing your opinion about it. Again, your assumptions.
I've made no assumptions, false or otherwise.
This is what you said above even though I wasn't speaking to you:
And Developer units of Google Glass were paid property of the developer. You are making assumptions not supported by the facts.
No one is talking about Google. You brought that up. These are Apple kits but you complained I was making assumptions? Your assumption: Apple kits are the same as Google.
You, speculating that there was an NDA.
Your assumption: There is no NDA. You clearly here have speculated that a developer kit from Apple has no NDA. Anyone who has worked with Apple dev kits before should know that there is NDA. Anyone who has worked with pre-release hardware generally knows there are NDAs.
If you spent less time lying to make up false assumptions on my part, you'd have less assumptions by me to disprove.
iFixit themselves admitted their unit was a developer unit from Apple. They admitted they disassembled the AppleTV acknowledging there were risks. I supplied the blog link from iFixit where they themselves discuss this. They knew they going to get in trouble for something. Now what was that something? Could it be violating an NDA or they didn't pay their taxes . Yet you didn't click on it but am calling me a liar instead of taking a few seconds to click on a link.
Nope. But feel free to lie some more, it helps distract yourself from your own false assumptions and speculation.
Feel free to post some facts. You have yet to provide a single one but resort to call other people names.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Again, your assumptions.
Nope, just yours. You've been factless. Just insulting others and making more assumptions to cover your assumptions.
Learn to love Alaska
I've said two things: Read the thread above and you were making assumptions. You called me a liar. Have you even clicked on the link yet?
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
presumably it's a piece of hardware that they purchased.
What a shock...