iMoaning for iBricks
Apple’s latest iPhone update brings your phone up to date with version 1.1.1 and breaks all sorts of things if you were one of the people who decided to mod your iPhone. I think bricking is pretty harsh: there should be a complete restore of the phone back to factory state on iTunes. By disallowing your phone entirely back onto the network AT&T is really only further soiling their reputation.
However. Having said that.
Really, when you mod your iPhone, Xbox, or whatever you do take it out of warranty. You knew that when you circumvented the software. You knew that Apple products are usually a closed system. You knew you were not doing something sanctioned with the software. You knew the risks but wanted to try it anyways. Apple’s warranty, like most others, does include:
This warranty does not apply: (a) to damage caused by use with non-Apple products; (b) to damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, flood, fire, earthquake or other external causes; (c) to damage caused by operating the product outside the permitted or intended uses described by Apple; (d) to damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized
Service Provider (“AASP”); (e) to a product or part that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the written permission of Apple; (f) to consumable parts, such as batteries, unless damage has occurred due to a defect in materials or workmanship; (g) to cosmetic damage, including but not limited to scratches, dents and broken plastic on ports; or (h) if any Apple serial number has been removed or defaced.
(From http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/.)
I wish Apple provided a proper SDK. I wish that the apps were based on open standards. But the reality is that iPhone users bought into a ecosystem willingly, accepted multiple terms of use and warranties, and understood that they could damage their hardware or render their phone incompatible with AT&T.
If what you want is the latest and greatest hardware, multiple carrier support, and an open platform: I challenge you to build your own phone. If you’ve reverse engineered the iPhone (or a Blackberry or a Treo or a ________) you pretty much know what’s required to build a phone. Go and design your concept phone, build a prototype, get someone to build it. You want something sleek and powerful? That design decision is in your hands. You want open software standards and a great user interface? Don’t complain: build it. With all the talent in the Web 2.0 arena you would think that people would be generally resourceful enough to build the most killer phone that ever existed. Multitouch, voice recognition and dictation, high resolution displays, slider keypads, normal earphone jacks, visual voicemail on the phone with a companion Web 2.0 website, any audio/video CODEC …
Why not have a contest and the winner gets a contract with some electronics manufacturer?