Bad day for Apple

Bricking iPhones isn't a good way to keep customers. They are going to need to open them up for 3rd party apps soon to bring some shine back to their tarnished image.

But this iPhone bricking issue is likely to change how some people view Apple. Of crucial importance to Apple is how many people change their view of Apple. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with Apple’s decision to brick unlocked iPhone’s (let’s forget about those bricked iPhones that haven’t been tampered with) or not, you can’t escape the fact that it’s a hugely unpopular move. Jon (DVD Jon) Lech Johansen sums it up well:

Did Sony ever brick PSPs over homebrew software? Did Microsoft ever overwrite someone’s BIOS with garbage because they detected an illegitimate Windows installation?

In light of other things Apple has done lately, such as adding an encrypted hash to the iPod database to lock out non-Apple software and disabling TV-out on the iPod unless the 3rd party accessory you’re using has an Apple authentication chip, it’s evident that Apple is well on its way to become one of the most consumer hostile tech companies.

When Steve Jobs claimed the iPhone was 5 years ahead of every other phone, was he talking about the iPhone’s revolutionary handcuffs?

I just wonder how shiny did Apple executive think the company’s halo was and how much did they think they could get away with? No matter how you try to spin the problem, pushing an update that trashes your own product is not a good move.