
iPhones 'disabled' if Apple detects third-party repairs - abhi3
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-35502030
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HarryHirsch
When you have car trouble, you can go to the dealership or the mechanic you
trust. It prevents the dealer from overcharging. Why can't we have the same
thing with computer gadgets, especially since they try to build walled gardens
and tightly locked hardware.

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zoffix222
That's deeply troubling. Does this issue affect iPads too? I have one I got at
work I had the screen repaired on at the mall. It's bugging me to update the
OS and now I'm worried it'll lock up just the same :S

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zoffix222
I think I can infer an answer to my own question from this article:
[http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-...](http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-
iphone-software-update-handset-worthless-third-party-repair)

Apple's response was this is due to security stuff with the touch ID sensor
and since my iPad doesn't have one, it shouldn't be affected.

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eelinow
You're correct, a non-touch id iOS device won't be affected. This is specific
to the security involving the match cabling and sensor used in touch id iOS
devices only. Everything else can still be replaced third party as this
actually IS a security issue. This also shouldn't be news as Apple pointed
this out when touch id first came out in that the buttons would not be
replaceable except via apple (which if I'm correct, at the time they didn't
discus replicability being viable at all).

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piyush_soni
So since it's a "security issue", the only resort for Apple was to BRICK
user's phone he paid huge amounts for? Why couldn't they just disable the
entire fingerprint system (only) duly informing the user and restoring the
phone to factory settings (erasing everything) at the most if needed?

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piyush_soni
Seriously? Downvoting this because you can't hear anything wrong about your
favorite company?

