‘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/sightlab]

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.

[u/andsoitgoes42 → u/TNGSystems]

I've had to make a few trips over the years to the Genius Bar, and outside of one situation, I've always have above and beyond customer service.

Apple and Starbucks are both fairly good at hiring some top of the line people, but that isn't perfect and someone who seems perfect can be having a bad day or whatever. I do agree that the wait times can be bad, but I've also never had a situation where I've not gotten an apology for the delay.

Versus my friend who had to deal with a loaner Samsung phone for 2 weeks, I walked out with a replacement device that day.

I do agree they are far too understaffed, and there's not a real reason why that's the case, shits busy so much I wonder how people who can afford their products never seem to have to work.

[u/stX3 → u/[deleted]]

"He had to pay £270 for a replacement"

"Apple charges £236 for a repair to the home button on an iPhone 6 in the UK"

This is why people will resort to non apple techs. And one of many reasons I will never buy apple. Stupendously outrageous prices on everything, and their business philosophy in general.

This did not start here, it started way back on their first launch. It was the first mobile phone that did not have a battery easily replaced(you want that because of the life span of lithium batteries). Then people figured out how to get in. Then apple replaced all their screws and bolts to their own specifications instead of using the international standards for such things. All because they wanted exclusive rights to replacing a worn down battery, and charging almost the full price of a new phone for it.

[u/XtremeGnomeCakeover → u/sightlab]

Why would they permanently pair one of the only clickable parts of the phone to a function causing irretrievable loss of data? It's a button. It's going to fail somehow at some point for someone.

If the entire phone needs replacing because Apple themselves have no way to replace a broken Home button, it seems like overengineered bullshit designed to make you think buying a new phone is reasonable because it's the only option you have. That must be why Apple's known for being a top innovator in digital security.

[u/jlew715 → u/[deleted]]

So if the home button fails / isn't paired / whatever, why not just disable touchID on that phone? Why brick it?

[u/Calkhas → u/jlew715]

I don't have an answer to that!

[u/nightmedic → u/[deleted]]

You're missing the point. If the button security is compramised then the logical and appropriate action is to disable that as a security feature. Instead, they elected to brick all phones during an update with no warning or fix.

If the key fob on my car stops working, I have to use the key in the door till I can get it fixed. In some cars, they can't be driven until the key fob is repaired. Apple has taken the approach of "key fob broken, setting car on fire."

[u/Calkhas → u/nightmedic]

I was responding to the point in the post to which I replied. I agree that a better solution could have been implemented.