Apple has finally issued a statement about the unlock software solutions that have appeared in the past few weeks. While Apple has indicated that it will not proactively disable such iPhones (according to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing), it has warned that such hacks will void warranties and could stop devices from working. Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone’s software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (http://www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone’s warranty.
The next iPhone update is expected as early as this week and should deliver access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. It may also disable hacked iPhones.
Scare tactic or legitimate move to protect its exclusive agreements, you decide…