Latest F from crApple

[blueskull]

Well, what can I say? Sooner or later, they will DRM everything. I wonder if they can fit an identification chip to a screw, they will screw you with a screw.

[glarsson]

Shady repair shops repair iPhones using broken parts, blaims Apple when the repair fails.

Did Apple even know the third party parts would malfunction after the update?

[sstepane]

Shady repair shops repair iPhones using broken parts, blaims Apple when the repair fails.

Did Apple even know the third party parts would malfunction after the update?

They've been doing this for years, as I recall. That's company's policy, and that's one of the reasons I stay away from their products.

[bd139]

I think Louis just hates Apple at this point and is riding the cash train for spurting this shit on youtube to his fan base.

If you've ever tried to build a hackintosh you know that Apple only QA on the narrow hardware that they actually sell. Anything else is a crapfest. Buy wonky third party screens from wun hung low and you get what you pay for which is minor specification differences. Last time this happened, they actually sampled the screens and fixed it. However they have no obligation to do that.

Also the third party screens, of which I've seen a few, are total shit! Really they are awful. Some of them even come with the frame hanging off. The backlight is wimpy as fuck and the actual LCD pixel arrangement is completely different.

This is also true for every other phone vendor out there and every other embedded system out there incidentally and even windows a lot of the time. Just the other day I spent a whole day recently trying to get it to talk to a Cypress USB serial bridge with a different vendor ID after an updated shot the device ID.

Shit happens.

[BravoV]

So its just matter of time, that someone in Shenzen sees when it times that the market is big enough for this particular replacement display, will make a cloned one signals & behaves exactly like the genuine one ?

[BravoV]

It's just this batch of clone is not good enough, and in the next batch they will change their design.

So just wait until the re-designed part came out, then back business as usual again right ?

[bd139]

Buy wonky third party screens from wun hung low and you get what you pay for which is minor specification differences.

If Apple sells parts to unauthorized repair services, they won't have to buy clone.
Ideology for people who don't control the resource: if I can't get it, I feel not guilty steal or clone it.

Apple do support 3rd party repairers and provide them with equipment that they use for official repairs. We have authorised repairers who sell genuine parts in the UK.

This is also true for every other phone vendor out there and every other embedded system out there incidentally and even windows a lot of the time. Just the other day I spent a whole day recently trying to get it to talk to a Cypress USB serial bridge with a different vendor ID after an updated shot the device ID.

But why do you need an ID? You don't need an ID to address a MIPI display. A MIPI display can have some control registers, which can be used to identify clone screens. But you don't need it.

Therefore, I can't really think of any reason why this is not an intentional blocking of unauthorized parts.

I take it you've never dealt with DDC then particularly over VGA. Some vendors have funny ideas as to what constitutes a protocol and the register contents...

I don't think this is like the whole FTDI thing which was "burn all the rip offs" but a "well we didn't expect that" thing.

[station240]

Imagine if Microsoft did this with Windows Update.
When windows updates, it detects you're not using some component you had when you first installed windows, and bricks itself thus denying you access to your data.
Of course people would throw a fit if this happened, everyone accepts PCs break and need replacement or upgraded parts.

Yet because it's:
a) Apple
b) A company that make both the hardware and software
It's somehow OK, well it's not!

This isn't about 3rd party components being possibly not as good, it's about Apple using planned obsolesce and works as follows:
a) Make phone easily damaged, say extra thin with a screen made from the most brittle of glass.
b) Release new IOS version that for some odd reason needs a faster CPU to run properly, don't worry we have a new phone out that is faster, so go buy that to solve OUR problem.
Either a or b get you to buy a new phone, if you somehow managed to get your screen fixed, well screw you 'cause we break it next IOS update anyway.

There is a reason they are called crApple, and they earned that name.

[bd139]

Apple do support 3rd party repairers and provide them with equipment that they use for official repairs. We have authorised repairers who sell genuine parts in the UK.

Yes, but you have to follow Apple protocol. If you want to do component level repair with high freedom on what you can do, this is not an option.
The Louis Rossmann ideology is to allow people to repair their gears on their own, not governed by Apple. If Apple sells parts to anyone who pays without bullshit agreements, that's what I can true 3rd party repairing.

but a "well we didn't expect that" thing.

I hope so. If this ever makes big news, I would like to see Apple making some clarification.

Component level repair is dead.

Give them a week or two. IOS 11.3.1 will appear and this will go away or something.

Imagine if Microsoft did this with Windows Update.
When windows updates, it detects you're not using some component you had when you first installed windows, and bricks itself thus denying you access to your data.
Of course people would throw a fit if this happened, everyone accepts PCs break and need replacement or upgraded parts.

Yet because it's:
a) Apple
b) A company that make both the hardware and software
It's somehow OK, well it's not!

This isn't about 3rd party components being possibly not as good, it's about Apple using planned obsolesce and works as follows:
a) Make phone easily damaged, say extra thin with a screen made from the most brittle of glass.
b) Release new IOS version that for some odd reason needs a faster CPU to run properly, don't worry we have a new phone out that is faster, so go but that to solve OUR problem.
Either a or b get you to buy a new phone, if you somehow managed to get your screen fixed, well screw you 'cause we break it next IOS update anyway.

There is a reason they are called crApple, and they earned that name.

Have you looked at:

1. Product activation
2. Bricking of AMD based PCs after meltdown patches
3. Windows Phone, Surface and RT locked down platforms which were abandoned
4. FTDI windows update

Hmm.

The problem is the entire software industry is shit. There is no side to pick.

Oh no office today. Wait for that one....

[Halcyon]

There is a reason they are called crApple, and they earned that name.

That's the thing, Apple used to be brilliant machines and innovative for the day. Those days are long gone. The stuff they have churned out in the last almost-twenty years is flimsy, poorly designed, junk (for the most part).

Sadly Microsoft are going down the same path.

[wraper]

When windows updates, it detects you're not using some component you had when you first installed windows, and bricks itself thus denying you access to your data.

It does. Some Windows Updates can detect a pirate copy and will deactivate itself.
Even with a legit copy, Windows (XP~7) will refuse to boot and show BSOD if it detects hardware change. This is also a measure to make installing Ghost based pirate system harder.

W7 may deactivate, which BTW won't prevent you from using it, but will BSOD only if you replaced motherboard of HDD interface controller with different hardware. Will it BSOD or not depends an how big hardware chance was, if you stay within same CPU vendor within 1-2 hardware generations, it will work in vast majority of cases. W8+ usually will usually  work even if you switch from Intel to AMD.

[bd139]

Back when server 2008 came out we had problems with windows deactivating when you used a bonded network interface as the primary interface on the machine as that had a generated MAC. No hardware change there! Go figure.

[wraper]

Will it BSOD or not depends an how big hardware chance was, if you stay within same CPU vendor within 1-2 hardware generations, it will work in vast majority of cases. W8+ usually will usually  work even if you switch from Intel to AMD.

It will only BSoD upon detection of a different motherboard, regardless generation. CPU can be changed, GPU can be changed, RAM can be changed, and non-OS HDD/SSD can be changed. I believe it gathers HW fingerprint based on MAC address and BIOS info.

Sorry but it's a BS. Personally done this, worked fine in most cases.

It will also BSoD upon OS HDD/SDD drive mode change (AHCI/NVMe/SATA/RAID).

It will work if you manage to install a proper driver first.

[Jeroen3]

I can't watch the video now. But I remember last time this "Apple bricks repaired phones" headline was around it was due to swaps of the touch ID. The software was designed to prevent attacks by replacing the touch ID part, but by replacing it the entire phone got bricked.

Apple later released an update fixing the bug that caused the brick, this time only disabling the touch ID. As was intended.
Meanwhile everyone on the internet was ranting about Apple bricking phones.

Today it seems that generic screens don't work with the latest update, which would probably just be a bug or something else unexpected happening that could get fixed next update. If I buy a five random "ILxxx" driver compatible screen from aliexpress I can be sure some do not work on my boards. And I did not intentionally block the use of other screens, I just never developed for those. Apple also only tests software on a very narrow base of hardware, which is how they've become very successful. I don't think you can pull the intentionally bricking card here.

The only case of intentionally bricking phones I know of is the Flamesung Galaxy Note 7. For a very valid reason.
So, until someone can show a device telling me error: unauthorized hardware detected, I think Lious is just there for the Apple rant view and clicks. And people love that.

[bd139]

Yep. Windows is pretty tetchy actually. Try booting a bitlocker encrypted machine which you have plugged into a docking station...

[wraper]

Just do a search online. See how many people got their system broken by swapping mobo.

I don't care if somebody cannot work around this or configure bios HDD settings on new MOBO to get it running. There is nothing that inherently detects hardware change and prevents in from booting.

[bd139]

TBH I have swapped motherboards out before and it just asks to be reactivated. If you've done this a couple of times you have to phone them up. You might have to bring it up in safe mode for it to fix the drivers but that's about it. Most of the time it just works now.

[Halcyon]

Will it BSOD or not depends an how big hardware chance was, if you stay within same CPU vendor within 1-2 hardware generations, it will work in vast majority of cases. W8+ usually will usually  work even if you switch from Intel to AMD.

It will only BSoD upon detection of a different motherboard, regardless generation. CPU can be changed, GPU can be changed, RAM can be changed, and non-OS HDD/SSD can be changed. I believe it gathers HW fingerprint based on MAC address and BIOS info.

Sorry but it's a BS. Personally done this, worked fine in most cases.

I totally support wraper in relation to this comment. Windows will chuck a hissy-fit if you replace the motherboard (or some other major component) and simply expect it to work. No! Remove the old drivers first and let it re-detect new hardware. I would expect similar from ANY O/S.

However if you're swapping between HALs (Hardware Abstraction Layers), you'll probably get BSODs. On older versions of Windows, the HAL is determined at the time of install and you're stuck with it from that point on. On the newer stuff it's detected at start-up.

Either way, on a Windows (Mac or Linux box for that matter) you can usually get all your data back. The same cannot be said for iPhones. Each file is encrypted using its own individual encryption key (rather than whole partition or disk encryption). It's a major pain in the ass.

[bd139]

TBH I have swapped motherboards out before and it just asks to be reactivated. If you've done this a couple of times you have to phone them up. You might have to bring it up in safe mode for it to fix the drivers but that's about it. Most of the time it just works now.

So it could be driver issues? Maybe I was using Windows wrong. I always reinstall the OS every time I upgrade anything major.

Usually is drivers. Windows PE which comes up first tries to load all the drivers in that were there before. Then it cant find the disks and shits a brick. If you bring it up in safe mode if it doens't work it'll sort itself out.

[bd139]

Either way, on a Windows (Mac or Linux box for that matter) you can usually get all your data back. The same cannot be said for iPhones. Each file is encrypted using its own individual encryption key (rather than whole partition or disk encryption). It's a major pain in the ass.

Not strictly true. The whole thing is at volume level as they keys are stored in the secure enclave.

If you encrypt your disk with Bitlocker on Windows it's the same story.

If you encrypt your disk with FileVault on Mac it's the same story.

If you encrypt your disk with LUKS/dm-crypt on Linux it's the same story.

If you turn on device encryption in Android it's the same story.

The only difference with the iPhone is that this is the default and the key storage is actually pretty secure. And that's a damn good thing and it's the reason that the only approved handsets in our company are iPhones. Because the default policy and hardware is the most secure and they are very difficult (not impossible) to tamper with.

Backups are the solution to fucked up encrypted disks, not blaming the vendor.

Read this: https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

[rsjsouza]

Good video, although it is nothing new from these guys.

I bet it will have little effect to their bottom margin - people will continue to buy their stuff in places properly serviced by Apple directly, regardless if they are turning the screws on their customers.

For the rest of the world, which has no altenative other than recurring to third party repairs, this is an absolute disgrace. For my friends that are in this situation but still crave for their products, I can't help but cringe at their folly...

[Halcyon]

Either way, on a Windows (Mac or Linux box for that matter) you can usually get all your data back. The same cannot be said for iPhones. Each file is encrypted using its own individual encryption key (rather than whole partition or disk encryption). It's a major pain in the ass.

Not strictly true. The whole thing is at volume level.

If you encrypt your disk with Bitlocker on Windows it's the same story.

If you encrypt your disk with FileVault on Mac it's the same story.

If you encrypt your disk with LUKS/dm-crypt on Linux it's the same story.

If you turn on device encryption in Android it's the same story.

The only difference with the iPhone is that this is the default and the key storage is actually pretty secure. And that's a damn good thing and it's the reason that the only approved handsets in our company are iPhones. Because the default policy and hardware is the most secure and they are very difficult (not impossible) to tamper with.

Backups are the solution to fucked up encrypted disks, not blaming the vendor.

If it were true however it would be a better thing because there is a massive risk that one corrupted segment of an encrypted volume can take the entire volume out. But if you have individually encrypted files then analysis is easier so no one does that.

Read this: https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf

Yeeeaahhhh.... I won't comment on any of that (I can't) but Dave knows exactly what I'm about to say, without having to say it.

If you think any of that stuff keeps you secure, you're sadly mistaken.

EDIT: For the most part, yes, you're safe from the average nerd. From organisations who have access to "things"... nope, not at all.

[bd139]

Read what I said carefully. I agree it doesn't.

What it does is it makes it more difficult. You're protecting against casual data and device theft and idiots leaving their devices on trains, not state level actors. You can't win against them.

This is why companies I've worked for have air gapped systems in the defence sector.

[Halcyon]

Read what I said carefully. I agree it doesn't.

What it does is it makes it more difficult. You're protecting against casual data and device theft and idiots leaving their devices on trains, not state level actors. You can't win against them.

This is why companies I've worked for have air gapped systems in the defence sector.

I understand, but for the casual observer, I've spelled it out.

Speaking of trains, this is where I get off. :-)

[bd139]

Casual observer it's good enough. You don't want someone buying a telly via Apple Pay after getting your phone swiped. Getting off the train too