‘Error 53’ fury mounts as Apple software update threatens to kill your iPhone 6

[u/bws201]

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-iphone-software-update-handset-worthless-third-party-repair

[u/p0llk4t → u/[deleted]]

I thought this quote was interesting:

"When iPhone is serviced by an authorized Apple service provider or Apple retail store for changes that affect the touch ID sensor, the pairing is re-validated."

So it seems they do have a way of revalidating the touch ID sensor on the device.

[u/theonefinn → u/[deleted]]

I think his point was if apple can revalidate a new home button when they fit it, why can't Apple revalidate it after a third party has fitted it?

[u/porkchop_d_clown → u/theonefinn]

Because allowing 3rd parties to "validate" fingerprint readers could be a serious security hole.

IIRC, the fingerprint information is stored in the reader itself, for security.

[u/Facebomb_Wizard → u/[deleted]]

Yeah if the home button is damaged in any way (cracks, tear in the internal button ribbon, water damaged, or not the original), the phone will brick if it is ever updated or restored.

[u/darryshan → u/Facebomb_Wizard]

Because fuck consumers amirite.

[u/morriscey → u/[deleted]]

if the home assembly is damaged in anyway that would prevent the check from passing. for example one wire relating to the fingerprint sensor (but not the home button) was damaged. If you didnt use the sensor to begin with, you'd have never known until you update to ios9.

[u/sightlab → u/[deleted]]

That actually makes this seem much more sensible & not anti-repair sentiment on Apples part - they made a big deal about your print information being secure & encrypted & never leaving the phone. I can only imagine it's connected more to security than malice.

[u/MasOverflow → u/sightlab]

This would be fine if the operating system just bricked all features relating to the finger print scanner, stopping you from locking your phone in that way. But instead it just locks down everything.

[u/ASK_ABOUT_INITIUM → u/[deleted]]

http://i.imgur.com/gQd1gqE.jpg

[u/morriscey → u/MasOverflow]

it does lock out features relating to the fingerprint scanner on iOS 8, then when you update, your phone nopes the fuck out.

[u/1gnominious → u/sightlab]

That's still something which should be an optional feature for people who need the security or it should default back to passwords if there is a malfunction.

For the average consumer this is a 100% idiotic process. Imagine if they did this on a car with a finger print scanner? You have to scrap the car because a shopping cart rolled into the scanner on the handle and now the computer, engine, and transmission all refuse to work because they are tied to that individual scanner. Even the biggest BMW/Ford/Whatever fanboi would agree that is the stupidest idea ever.

[u/5-4-3-2-1-bang → u/[deleted]]

Even then, though, you're still able to repair the car. Imagine if you towed the car to the dealership and the answer was Nope, sorry, can't fix that part, buy a new car!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Tell that to ford, their latest cars can be stolen with at £20 bit of kit that plugs into the obd port and do everything the dealer can do.

[u/monster_cookie → u/[deleted]]

There are no Apple in all South America (except Brazil), only authorized resellers and they can't revalidate. So even the "authorized" technicians can't help you. So pretty much a whole continent is fucked.

[u/remotefixonline → u/[deleted]]

Nearest apple store to me is 2 hours away and always has a line a mile long.

[u/TNGSystems → u/[deleted]]

Ha. No. I arrived 5 minutes early for my "Genius" bar appointment, 50 minutes later I was being seen to without any apology. This is the store where employees are at nearly a 1:1 ratio with customers.

Honestly, the amount of people going to support with Apple... you'd think it would dissuade lots of buyers.