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Latest iOS Update Shows Apple Can Use Software To Break Phones Repaired By Independent Shops (vice.com)

The latest version of iOS fixes several bugs, including one that caused a loss of touch functionality on a small subset of phones that had been repaired with certain third-party screens and had been updated to iOS 11. "Addresses an issue where touch input was unresponsive on some iPhone 6S displays because they were not serviced with genuine Apple parts," the update reads. "Note: Non-genuine replacement displays may have compromised visual quality and may fail to work correctly. Apple-certified screen repairs are performed by trusted experts who use genuine Apple parts. See support.apple.com for more information." Jason Koebler writes via Motherboard: "This is a reminder that Apple seems to have the ability to push out software updates that can kill hardware and replacement parts it did not sell iPhone customers itself, and that it can fix those same issues remotely." From the report: So let's consider what actually happened here. iPhones that had been repaired and were in perfect working order suddenly stopped working after Apple updated its software. Apple was then able to fix the problem remotely. Apple then put out a warning blaming the parts that were used to do the repair. Poof -- phone doesn't work. Poof -- phone works again. In this case, not all phones that used third party parts were affected, and there's no reason to think that, in this case, Apple broke these particular phones on purpose. But there is currently nothing stopping the company from using software to control unauthorized repair: For instance, you cannot replace the home button on an iPhone 7 without Apple's proprietary "Horizon Machine" that re-syncs a new home button with the repaired phone. This software update is concerning because it not only undermines the reputation of independent repair among Apple customers, but because it shows that phones that don't use "genuine" parts could potentially one day be bricked remotely.

3 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Give me a break by Tough+Love · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Let's turn a story about Apple fixing a compatibility issue with non-warrantied third party parts into a story about how Apple is evil and could make phones that use third party parts not work!

    Well, "iPhones that had been repaired and were in perfect working order suddenly stopped working after Apple updated its software. Apple was then able to fix the problem remotely. Apple then put out a warning blaming the parts that were used to do the repair." Seems reasonable to conclude that Apple is evil.

    Your spin doctoring is pretty much what I have come to expect from Apple and its hangers-on. First, Apple creates a problem where there is none, most probably by incompetence. Then Apple opportunistically attempts to capitalize on their crap QA with FUD about genuine Apple parts blah blah blah. Apple partisans jump in with victim shaming. No right to complain? Hah.

    Actually, I agree, Apple users shouldn't complain. They should just never waste their money on that junk again.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  2. Re:no it's not by WaffleMonster · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    There's huge distance between a firmaware driven device with serial communication protocols of incredible complexity and a coffee filter. I don't think it's reasonable to expect apple to support every possible emulation of it's API. I can't think of any cas ein the history of modern community where a clean room emulation had 100% bit compatibility with the original. WHy would you expect a non compatible screen to maintain it's compatibility as the OS changed.

    WHy would one expect a previously working digitizer to stop working and become "incompatible" due to a software update?

    Either Apple explains in detail what innocent change they made causing the incompatibility OR I'll just assume what is obvious to me given their prior track record.

    I can't really say what apple is or isn't doing but I'm quite sure you can't either.

    Exactly. You can never tell for sure even when it's obvious to you.. Even when a deliberate decision becomes toxic and they back away from it with laughable doublespeak there is always plausible deniability.

    In the real world we all have to live and make decisions in a world with incomplete information out of necessity. Our perceptions and prior track record will naturally inform whether we ASSUME it was an innocent mistake or ASSUME it was a deliberate act.

    Personally I require Apple to provide technical evidence exonerating themselves before I am willing to accept the innocent explanation in this case.

  3. Re: Give me a break by Tough+Love · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    That Apple broke a third party part doesn't bother me. Such is the norm. What bothers me is Apple doesn't provide a means of undoing the change which broke the functionality of the phone. This means that Apple is the only one that can fix the issue, and that if Apple does not fix the issue then a phone or device is rendered unusable unnecessarily, and the cost of ownership of the device is driven through the roof.

    I wonder A) what kind of Apple partisan modded your perfectly rational post "troll" and B) if that person ever feels like upchucking when seeing themselves in the mirror and C) if not, then why not.

    What bothers me about Apple? Basically everything, but especially the jihadists, or salaried online forum slimeballs, I have no way of knowing which it is in this case, but it is one of the other.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.