ITunes Update Makes Some Legit Phones 'iBricks'

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

September 28, 2007, 12:36 PM

While Apple has warned those who have unlocked the iPhone that the latest update would likely break their phones, some users are finding their locked phones broken by the update.

Reports first began surfacing on the website Twitter among users who had a locked iPhone and experienced problems after the update. The issues ranged from a loss of all data on the phone to 'bricking' of the device.

One of the users who reported problems was Patrick Scoble, son of blogger Robert Scoble. In Patrick's case, the phone was still usable, however all his personal data had been removed from the device. Robert's phone update went without a hitch, he reported.

While it just may be bad luck for Apple, the bricking is hitting some high-profile tech luminaries, including venture capitalist Jeff Clavier. And it seems to be fairly widespread -- blogs across the Web had comments from those who were experiencing similar issues.

It is not clear exactly why this is occurring, as Apple has yet to comment on the problems. But the rash of reports from those who have not unlocked or modified their phones indicates that whatever the Cupertino company is doing to 'brick' unlockers may have unintentionally taken out some of its law-abiding customers.

Whether Apple was in its right to brick phones depends on who one is asking. Technology blogger Jeremy Toeman said he was 'on the fence' as to whether Apple was doing the right thing.

"I see on one side: people who used quasi-legal means to bypass a system they most likely signed an agreement not to do, and are now frustrated because they can't do so," he said in comments to a blog post by Robert Scoble.

"And on the other: people who bought a darn phone and want to use it on any network they please, and should probably have such a right. It isn't quite so clear cut in my eyes."