Apple bricking iPhones that have been 3rd party repaired

[Tallow]

cirian75 said:

yeah, they took the wiring loom and ECU of the car and left you with it.

Plus they've locked all the doors so you can't get in to take all your stuff out

[ZesPak]

Tallow said:

cirian75 said:

yeah, they took the wiring loom and ECU of the car and left you with it.

Plus they've locked all the doors so you can't get in to take all your stuff out

And you didn't go in for an oil change, they actually sent you an OTA update for your GPS.

[Leithen]

I do love how the opposite extremes of Apple love/hate play out in these threads.

This whole shebang appears to be a matter of unintended consequences where software meets hardware and security too - hardly the first time such a thing might have happened.

To be dull for a moment and concentrate on the issue, Apple Pay uses a token or Device Account Number stored on a secure chip that apparently replaces the card details to enhance security.

I suspect the issue that Apple are trying to solve at the moment is the boring detail of how the token or Device Account Number is erased in the event of the phone's biometrics being tampered with. It sounds easy, but of course solving one unintended consequence often creates others.

I'm slightly surprised that third party repairers are able to get hold of the Touch ID part - or are they using non-Apple replacement parts?

[cirian75]

Tallow said:

cirian75 said:

yeah, they took the wiring loom and ECU of the car and left you with it.

Plus they've locked all the doors so you can't get in to take all your stuff out

welded them shut, and weld steel plate over all the windows.

[ZesPak]

Leithen said:

I do love how the opposite extremes of Apple love/hate play out in these threads.

Apples own fault, their systematic lack of communication and refusal to admit any mistake on their parts let speculation run wild.

Leithen said:

This whole shebang appears to be a matter of unintended consequences where software meets hardware and security too - hardly the first time such a thing might have happened.

Yep. A simple: "We're working on it as fast as we can." would be enough.

Leithen said:

I'm slightly surprised that third party repairers are able to get hold of the Touch ID part - or are they using non-Apple replacement parts?

Apparently it's not the part. Genuine parts are struck as well. This part however needs what apple geniuses call "calibration" -> a match of the new sensor with the phone.
If this didn't happen, for example on a repair 6 months ago, the device will be bricked with the new update.
Again, this is third hand information though.

[p1stonhead]

ZesPak said:

Leithen said:

I do love how the opposite extremes of Apple love/hate play out in these threads.

Apples own fault, their systematic lack of communication and refusal to admit any mistake on their parts let speculation run wild.

Leithen said:

This whole shebang appears to be a matter of unintended consequences where software meets hardware and security too - hardly the first time such a thing might have happened.

Yep. A simple: "We're working on it as fast as we can." would be enough.

Leithen said:

I'm slightly surprised that third party repairers are able to get hold of the Touch ID part - or are they using non-Apple replacement parts?

Apparently it's not the part. Genuine parts are struck as well. This part however needs what apple geniuses call "calibration" -> a match of the new sensor with the phone.
If this didn't happen, for example on a repair 6 months ago, the device will be bricked with the new update.
Again, this is third hand information though.

I was under the impression Apple have said 'tough st' and have not even hinted that they would look to reverse it or look for a solution?

[Leithen]

p1stonhead said:

I was under the impression Apple have said 'tough st' and have not even hinted that they would look to reverse it or look for a solution?

Apple have a history of making Trappist Monks seem like chat show hosts. I'd be surprised if there has been any public pronouncement. When there is it will be succinct, avoid most of the questions asked and ps off most of the IT press/crowd/groupies.

That's always been how they roll.

[p1stonhead]

Leithen said:

p1stonhead said:

I was under the impression Apple have said 'tough st' and have not even hinted that they would look to reverse it or look for a solution?

Apple have a history of making Trappist Monks seem like chat show hosts. I'd be surprised if there has been any public pronouncement. When there is it will be succinct, avoid most of the questions asked and ps off most of the IT press/crowd/groupies.

That's always been how they roll.

This was their statement which i just found;

We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect customers. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone and iPad correctly matches your device’s other components. If iOS finds a mismatch, the check fails and Touch ID, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled. This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customers encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support.

I believe when people did contact Apple Support, then they were told tough st

[funkyrobot]

p1stonhead said:

This was their statement which i just found;

We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect customers. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone and iPad correctly matches your device’s other components. If iOS finds a mismatch, the check fails and Touch ID, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled. This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customers encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support.

I believe when people did contact Apple Support, then they were told tough st

It isn't just disabling the ID though.

If it did just this, it wouldn't be an issue.

To wreck the whole device is just barmy though. Oh well, as we all know, Apple will still sell millions of units.

Bit like BMW and the car security issues really. That event doesn't seem to have done them any damage. I still see people buying loads of them.

[p1stonhead]

funkyrobot said:

p1stonhead said:

This was their statement which i just found;

We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect customers. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone and iPad correctly matches your device’s other components. If iOS finds a mismatch, the check fails and Touch ID, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled. This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customers encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support.

I believe when people did contact Apple Support, then they were told tough st

It isn't just disabling the ID though.

If it did just this, it wouldn't be an issue.

To wreck the whole device is just barmy though. Oh well, as we all know, Apple will still sell millions of units.

Bit like BMW and the car security issues really. That event doesn't seem to have done them any damage. I still see people buying loads of them.

Yeah I definitely didnt buy a BMW at the weekend

[funkyrobot]

p1stonhead said:

Yeah I definitely didnt buy a BMW at the weekend

Apple fanboi!!!!!!

[Durzel]

Apple have quite a few options - in order of most likely to least:

1. They might do nothing. They'll continue to get bad press from clickbait articles, but won't change the hearts & minds of the people who are already zealots, short of murdering their families nothing will. Apple will stick steadfastly to the rationale that "it's for your own good, even if it is your data and your property". There may well be something in the T&Cs that noone reads that updating iOS may remove functionality/may cause it to stop functioning/is entirely at your own risk.
2. They might allow restoring to a previous iOS version, effectively barring people who have had a third-party repair without this mythical "secure enclave" re-pairing from upgrading to iOS 9.x and beyond. This is exactly the sort of punitive "look what you're missing out on you because you betrayed us" action I'd expect.
3.  They might backtrack completely.

Edited by Durzel on Friday 12th February 12:57

[Leithen]

Durzel said:

Apple have quite a few options - in order of most likely to least:

1. They might do nothing. They'll continue to get bad press from clickbait articles, but won't change the hearts & minds of the people who are already zealots, short of murdering their families nothing will. Apple will stick steadfastly to the rationale that "it's for your own good, even if it is your data and your property". There may well be something in the T&Cs that noone reads that updating iOS may remove functionality/may cause it to stop functioning/is entirely at your own risk.
2. They might allow restoring to a previous iOS version, effectively barring people who have had a third-party repair without this mythical "secure enclave" re-pairing from upgrading to iOS 9.x and beyond. This is exactly the sort of punitive "look what you're missing out on you because you betrayed us" action I'd expect.
3.  They might backtrack completely.

Edited by Durzel on Friday 12th February 12:57

Zealots, myths, betrayal and backtracking. Seriously?

You are Dan Brown AICMFP.

[plasticpig]

It appears Apple have yet another bricking issue to deal with. Setting a 64bit iPhones date a back to 01/01/1970 bricks it

[otolith]

plasticpig said:

It appears Apple have yet another bricking issue to deal with. Setting a 64bit iPhones date a back to 01/01/1970 bricks it

"We’ve reached out to Apple to see if a fix is on the way."





I bet those bds at Apple did it deliberately to something something dark side profit!

[audi321]

plasticpig said:

It appears Apple have yet another bricking issue to deal with. Setting a 64bit iPhones date a back to 01/01/1970 bricks it

Well I'm not trying it to find out lol.......anyone done it?

[Mr_Yogi]

audi321 said:

plasticpig said:

It appears Apple have yet another bricking issue to deal with. Setting a 64bit iPhones date a back to 01/01/1970 bricks it

Well I'm not trying it to find out lol.......anyone done it?

May I suggest anyone thinking of giving it a go has a thorough read of Apple's T&C before attempting it. Even if you've read them in the past (maybe before you considered having a 3rd party repair on your screen?), best to check again, just in case missed any references to 1970

[KaraK]

While I think there will be a rash of "pranks" ending up with people with borked devices this one should be an easy enough fix with a software update, what's amused me is if you are one of the poor sods who can't do any updates to their phone because they have had a 3rd party TouchID repair you'll end up leaving yourself vulnerable to this issue. Can't win really

ETA: by "fix" I meant only for those who are vulnerable to this, not those who have been already affected. Although if you can fully discharge the battery will that be sufficient to reset the date and let the affected device boot? Sure, it won't do your battery life any favors but it's still got to be better than a boot-looping paperweight

Edited by KaraK on Friday 12th February 15:33

[Blaster72]

plasticpig said:

It appears Apple have yet another bricking issue to deal with. Setting a 64bit iPhones date a back to 01/01/1970 bricks it

Jan 1st 1970 is day/time zero for any system using Unix apparently. Does that mean that doing this to most Unix systems will cause issues?

I bet there are still idiots that will try it with their iPhone just to see if it works

[AC43]

Tycho said:

effectively shows that Apple still considers the phone belonging to them rather than the person who owns it.

Yup - same as any music you've bought through iTunes.

Or the frickin contacts that my wife was unable to retrieve from the Apple ecosphere once she'd decided to ditch Apple. Just before commissioning her new Android phone she lost her wonderful iPhone and that was that; goodbye contacts.

It mystifies me why people are happy to pay for the "privilege" of doing business with them.

I do use Apple hardware but only because my employer provides it as part of my job.

When I buy my own stuff I get non-Apple with vastly more storage/better graphics/faster processors and so on plus the ability to keep contacts. Which comes in handy....

Edited by AC43 on Monday 15th February 19:19