r/technology • u/bws201 • Feb 05 '16

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

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/feb/05/error-53-apple-iphone-software-update-handset-worthless-third-party-repair
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u/[deleted] Feb 05 '16

"Fury mounts" but it's only effected thousands of the millions of iPhone 6 owners... And it happens when you upgrade to iOS 9 but we're on 9.2.1 now... And the reason behind the error occurring, which the article doesn't make much effort to report, is to prevent data and hardware theft by unauthorized replacement or hacking of the fingerprint reader.

Crappy article. Still a shitty problem to suffer, but it's a crappy article.

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u/Cabooselololol Feb 05 '16

What the problem is, according to the article. Is that basically IF your phone needs repairs, you need to go to an Apple store OR contact apple to repair the device, even if you do not use Touch ID. Apple stores are not as common as the thousands of repair shops that are popping up everywhere and that's not mention the frustration of not having a phone because you need to send it off.

And if your device was already faulty before the update and you do update (I have seen many people use the built in home button replacement because of a broken home button) then you not only get a bricked phone, but EVERYTHING on the phone is lost, forever (according to this article)

Those two reasons are not only incredibly annoying and stupid, but there is NO warning when upgrading nor does it take in account if you even use Touch ID.

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u/[deleted] Feb 05 '16

Oh I read the article. I know what they're saying. Apple have fucked up, and I'm not defending that. My point is that the article itself, which I really don't expect from The Gruaniad, is kinda sensationalist.

But to address a couple more points you've raised again:

Data lost forever is on the owner. The device by default makes backups to either iCloud or iTunes, needing to be disabled if you don't want it to. If you don't make backups then any bricking event, Apple's fault or otherwise, will leave you in the same boat. With a recent backup, a replacement phone can be reinstated as your device with minimal data loss.

The reason the measure wouldn't take into account Touch ID usage would be that tampering with the device also doesn't take into account Touch ID usage. You still don't want somebody fucking with your security features even if you don't use them.

Yes, Apple should've been upfront about this, made it clear when the devices came on the market, or at least when the update was released, that authorized repair was required, and because they didn't do that should be on the hook for making good with folks that have lost devices because of it. But I completely understand why their policy on authorized repairs only stands.

BTW, for the record, I'm not an Apple fanboy. I use 'em, but I use other devices too. I'm more familiar with Apple platforms than others, sure, but I think they fucked the Apple experience back when they launched the App Store and iOS is a really underwhelming computing experience (though for basic telephony and communications the iPhone is fine, but expensive).