Apple, Inc. released a firmware update for their popular iPhone yesterday to disable or "brick" unlocked units. The update, a response to recent hacks which allow the iPhone to be used by cell phone service carriers other than AT&T, apparently not only circumvents the hacks but disables some third party applications as well.<\/p>\n
The iPhone initially was locked into service only through AT&T but users soon discovered ways to unlock the phone and allow it to function with other cell carriers. The hack helped spur sales of the phone as consumers who were reluctant to purchase the device were able to choose their carrier. <\/p>\n
Apple told customers unlocking the device would risk damage and void their warranty. Earlier this week they informed users a firmware update would be released to patch the hacks. Yesterday they made good on the threat.<\/p>\n
According to iphonesimfree.com, which provides software and service to unlock the iPhone to resellers the deployment of firmware update 1.1.1 does relock some iPhones but the IPSF hack still functions if the user has an original AT&T Sim card. In addition the block disables third party applications and tools to enhance funtionality of the iPhone, mostly written by open source developers.<\/p>\n
"The thousands of open source developers who have put a cumulative 10s of thousands of man hours into various apps and tools now have no way to get them onto the phone as well." iphonesimfree.com posted in their blog Thursday. They added, "We are all looking into the jailbreak issue as it affects us all, and we will keep updating our site as well as the open source community at large with any information we can about this."<\/p>\n
The latest move by Apple to relock the phone angered users, many of which view it as both arrogant and ironic, especially given Steve Jobs' recent stand against another unpopular locking mechanism, DRM.<\/p>\n
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