dreyfus2

Well, nobody will deny that this is a legitimate case to ask for access. But there is a huge difference between "providing assistance" (which means accessing this particular phone, if at all possible) and "handing over a software", which could then be used on any phone. While I fully agree with the former, I see no reason for the latter.

kpom said:

I wonder why Apple is so reluctant to release USB 3.0-compatible Lightning accessories and USB-C to Lightning adapters. Perhaps they have something planned for March, or the iOS 10/iPhone 7 release this fall.

Well, they have released a USB 3.0-compatible SD card reader for the Lightning port, so it does not seem to be a general reluctancy. Most likely they are just careful with all that USB junk being out there. USB-C is not really an issue at all. Almost no devices have it, and the 12" MacBook is certainly designed for wireless use anyhow. Looking at the recent outcome of somebody frying a Pixel using USB-C cables, it is rather questionable, if this technology should be used at all for now.

iPad Pro charging is not really that bad. Even if somebody sleeps only 5 hours, it will be done. And you can get it to around 80% in a reasonable amount of time. I use mine 8-10 hours every day, and have not yet run out of juice.

It is fully OK that people lose their warranty when using unauthorized repair services. It is also fully OK that Apple disables a security feature, if unauthorized parts have been introduced into the signal chain. Especially since biometric data can't be changed once compromised.


The part where they are indeed wrong is when they render the entire device unusable because of this. Yes, disable TouchID and wipe the Secure Enclave – that is reasonable and justified. But when people do a restore using their valid Apple ID and having the required credentials, then at least the rest of the device should still work. Apple did the convenient thing putting TouchID into the home button, but using an iPhone without the home button is impossible – and it should be fully OK for somebody with an out-of-warranty device (and maybe liquidity problems, or just living somewhere where there is no Apple or AASP) to have it repaired elsewhere, even if that means giving up TouchID. I do not agree with the lawsuit, but Apple has to provide a better solution for this.

"The outlets proved so effective that other tech companies like Microsoft copied Apple's retail business model, albeit to lesser degrees of success." Tagging complete loss-makers a "lesser degree of success" is maybe a bit too much political correctness?