• E-mail this page
• |  Print this page
• | 
• | 
• | 

Is Anyone Really Surprised That Apple Won't Support Hacked iPhones?

I'm not. And I don't blame them, either. When you buy an iPhone, you implicitly agree to a legal contract in order to use it. Why should they support you if you decide to break the contract?

Contracts exist for a reason: To protect the parties involved and spell out the legal ramifications if terms aren't met. In case you forgot, that terms of use screen that you clicked "Agree" on so you could use your iPhone means you are legally bound to adhere to them (however impractical, arcane, stupid and unintelligible they may be).

I remember when I bought a Gateway computer about 10 years ago, there was a seal along the back panel. It read quite clearly that if the seal was broken (by opening the computer to access its innards), my warranty would be voided. I would wager that somewhere buried in that dense legalese of Apple's terms of use, there are phrases that spell out what happens if you hack or otherwise alter the software of the iPhone by "breaking the seal."

If you blithely ignore and break the rules (please understand, though, that I am not saying I really agree with Apple's rules), you've demonstrated that you don't respect Apple's terms of use. When one party breaks a contract, the other is not always beholden to live up to its end of the bargain (in Apple's case, to honor the warranty).

So, iPhone hackers, don't go crying to Apple if your iPhone is bricked by any future firmware updates. You've been warned in no uncertain terms.

« Google: A Virtual Video Headquarters Tour | Main | Why Tech Jobs May Fare Better In A Recession This Time »