In a notice this week Apple have warned that unlocking your iPhone could lead to irreparable damage, and permanent bricking of the handset when they release their updates.
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The American iPhone has been out in the wild for a few months now, and it seems everyone and his wife are jumping on the bandwagon, releasing unlocking software. Once unlocked, users can use their iPhone on any network, download and install their own ringtones, and organise their phone how they want.
Apple have now warned that iPhones could be bricked when they release their new update at the end of the week.
The update includes a WiFi version of the iTunes store, which may not work on an unlocked handset. However, in amongst the update could be unannounced security measures which could either re-lock a handset, or deliberately disable it completely making it nothing more than a shiny Apple paperweight.
Now that Apple have forewarned, they're also stating that any bricked iPhones will not be replaced under warranty.
Sony ran a similar campaign against the hackers with its PSP, and lost miserably. A few years after release of the PSP there are various different hacked firmwares which allow anything from running your own homemade games, to playing full-blown Playstation2 games that you might already own.
Everytime Sony released a new firmware update to shutdown the hacked PSPs the clever hackers merely updated their own firmware to combat it.
Hacking technology for the PSP is now so advanced that hardware has been developed in the form of a hacked battery that will allow users to un-brick their previously dead PSP.
We can expect the same for the iPhone, and Apple will be fighting a losing battle.
The full warning from Apple:
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.
Apple have now warned that iPhones could be bricked when they release their new update at the end of the week.
The update includes a WiFi version of the iTunes store, which may not work on an unlocked handset. However, in amongst the update could be unannounced security measures which could either re-lock a handset, or deliberately disable it completely making it nothing more than a shiny Apple paperweight.
Now that Apple have forewarned, they're also stating that any bricked iPhones will not be replaced under warranty.
Sony ran a similar campaign against the hackers with its PSP, and lost miserably. A few years after release of the PSP there are various different hacked firmwares which allow anything from running your own homemade games, to playing full-blown Playstation2 games that you might already own.
Everytime Sony released a new firmware update to shutdown the hacked PSPs the clever hackers merely updated their own firmware to combat it.
Hacking technology for the PSP is now so advanced that hardware has been developed in the form of a hacked battery that will allow users to un-brick their previously dead PSP.
We can expect the same for the iPhone, and Apple will be fighting a losing battle.
The full warning from Apple:
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.