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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.
Seriously, I am speaking from ignorance about the specifics, but aren't the products in question, on the market?
No, they are not. At the moment you can only buy one if you are a registered developer and are willing to sign an NDA.
#DeleteChrome
I am thinking that Apple was thinking that iFixit would do a teardown of the AppleTV and keeps it under NDA, until the AppleTV units are available.
Giving iFixit some time to prepare before putting the photos and repair guides on their website and app.
I think Apple doesn't mind iFixit, Apple probably supplies most of the spare parts to iFixit.
I think Apple does mind that iFixit breaks the NDA, and I am not sure but the App was probably rejected because the contents contained information that was under NDA.
Their issue is not that they took apart the hardware. Their issue is that they took apart the hardware and then did an article about it before the ATV4 hit stores. Here's the relevant portion of the agreement.
Everyone is getting this wrong - the issue is not that they tore it apart but that they did an article on it before the NDA was up. If they did an article on the still-assembled unit they would be in violation of the NDA as well. They were not giving these things away to be reviewed, they were giving them to people to write apps for them.
Quite frankly the majority of Slashdot seems to be completely down with disregarding all of contract law, which is sort of hilarious given the fervor with which they go after GPL violators with.
Schnapple
The person giving the marshmallow.
But if you give a 30 year old a marshmallow, and tell him not to eat it, then leave the room and he eats it, then it's his fault.
Grownups are supposed to know better.