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Apple Bans iFixit Developer Account and Removes App After Apple TV Teardown

locust76 said:
If you don't enforce your legal contracts, you risk losing the ability to do so in future litigation. That's why these companies sue each other over the slightest hint of infringement. If you don't protect your IP and your legal positions, you may be showing the courts that you don't care.

If they had let iFixit get away with that, then they would have had to let the next developer (and the next one and the next one, etc..) get away with it. Then, if someone does something REALLY nasty and Apple wants to sue, they can point to all the cases where Apple didn't really give a crap and say "See? They don't really care! Throw the case out, your Honor!"
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This. The reveal of the Apple TV isn't that big a deal, but they probably felt that they couldn't let this set a precedent for developer units being revealed.
 
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zorinlynx said:
This is incredibly petty of Apple. It's not like iFixIt showing us the guts of the Apple TV hurt them in any way.

It sounds like this is them "making an example out of" iFixIt to scare other devs into following the agreements to the letter. Still, pretty petty in my opinion. iFixIt contributes a lot to the community.
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This is incredibly petty of iFixit. It's not like waiting for the actual retail unit to ship will hurt viewers in any way.

I sounds like this is them "trying to get quick page views/hits by" abusing their account with Apple.
Still, pretty petty in my opinion. No harm done though. iFixIt still has their websites, and they can still do a teardown on retail units. Their existence and page views are partly contributed by Apple devices.
 
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It is all about the first to post these tear downs. They don't care what Apple does to them. They make money with bad or good publicity....
 
MrGuder said:
This really goes both ways...some of the people here being so critical of ifix it are the same people who benefited from the information they provided to you before anyone else.
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We liked the info, that's not the point, nor is that even in question.
LACK OF INTEGRITY IN LIVING UP TO A CONTRACT, that's the issue.
Tear it apart all you want but don't publish till you agreed you would. Publishing earlier is totally self serving and was not done to serve the user community, which couldn't even buy the unit yet.

Kroo said:
What bull. NDA's are clear and airtight. Any dumb lawyer wanting to lose would take your advice. Everyone should remember the old saying, don't bite the hand that feeds you. Why do people think they're entitled to breach confidences and non disclosure agreements? Oh, that's right. This generation are entitled to whatever they want. Silly me.
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Let's see them scoop anyone in future when they don't receive sample units any more. Stupid short sighted move ifixit.
 
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lolkthxbai said:
Was it iOS 9 that caused the bugs or lack of maintenance of the app on the developer's part?
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ifixit had the app sitting on the shelf collecting dust..

op said:
With the iFixit app removed from the Apple Store, iFixit is instead planning to revamp its mobile website and does not have plans to rewrite the app. The decision to focus on the iFixit mobile site came before the app was pulled by Apple, so it was not a huge loss to iFixit. The site says the app was outdated and riddled with bugs caused by iOS 9.
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edgonzalez32 said:
Idiots. Should've read that NDA more carefully.
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Don't kid yourself they read it and knew full well what it says. They just decided that their greed superseded any integrity they once had.

RockSpider said:
Anyway, let's get back to work, what do people think about El Capitan, or is this the iPod forum.
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That would be one of the Mac forums or OS X forum. ;)
 
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zorinlynx said:
This is incredibly petty of Apple. It's not like iFixIt showing us the guts of the Apple TV hurt them in any way.

It sounds like this is them "making an example out of" iFixIt to scare other devs into following the agreements to the letter. Still, pretty petty in my opinion. iFixIt contributes a lot to the community.
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The fine print is there for a reason, and iFixit saw it, and went ahead anyway. What's the point of having terms and conditions if no one respects them and they're not reprimanded for it?

Cop: You failed to stop at the red light.
Them: I understand, I know the risks and rules associated with, but went with it anyway. Are we cool?
Cop: Hmm, no, we're not cool. But, whatever, rules schmules, go ahead.
 
HEK said:
Don't kid yourself they read it and knew full well what it says. They just decided that their greed superseded any integrity they once had.
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I don’t think it was greed. I think was arrogance and hubris. Just like Gizmodo and the stolen iPhone (yes, stolen, not ‘found’)
 
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Kaibelf said:
Maybe I'm naive, but I don't feel bad for iFixit. They signed a deal, and then went back on the deal. That means that their professional word is meaningless. Sorry, but where I come from, a promise is a promise, especially involving a business contract. "We weighed the risks, blithely tossed those risks over our shoulder, and tore down the Apple TV anyway" is unacceptable, because that means that they feel that they're above the people with whom they made agreements.

Also, shame on them for saying that their app was "riddled with bugs caused by iOS9." That's a cop-out from a developer that was just too lazy to keep their app current. If you're going to be a liar, and lazy, at least be adult enough to own it instead of blaming others for your POOR work ethic and lack of integrity.
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Very rightfully put. When you give a word you stand by it.
 
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zorinlynx said:
This is incredibly petty of Apple. It's not like iFixIt showing us the guts of the Apple TV hurt them in any way.

It sounds like this is them "making an example out of" iFixIt to scare other devs into following the agreements to the letter. Still, pretty petty in my opinion. iFixIt contributes a lot to the community.
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It's like any other legal document. iFixit signed it and then blatantly ignored it. It's not petty (violation of an agreed to legal document) and iFixit got off lightly.
 
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Apple is making misstep after misstep. A year from now I can hear Mr. Cook's resignation.
 
zorinlynx said:
They didn't do anything that hurts Apple. They received a developer unit, then posted a teardown. They likely reassembled it and it probably still works fine, so I doubt they "destroyed" something they were given for free to show the teardown.

If this had been a free pre-release iPhone and they had filmed drop tests and other obvious things to show they only got it to destroy it and not to use it for development, that would be different. But all they did was take it apart and snap some photos.

I believe strongly in the mantra of "If an activity doesn't hurt anyone, it shouldn't be disallowed."
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For the most part I am in strong agreement with you. Whatever you want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, go crazy.

That said, if I signed a contract saying I'm not going to do something, then do it anyway(even going so far as to say I'm ignoring what I signed), I would have to expect repercussions.

But, I am far from an expert! Have a great night.
 
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Stiltz99 said:
That said, if I signed a contract saying I'm not going to do something, then do it anyway(even going so far as to say I'm ignoring what I signed), I would have to expect repercussions.
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I would expect retaliation from ifixit for unreasonable demands. That said, if apple made customers sign such a contract I'd tell them where to stick the contract and never buy from them again.

As a customer though, this one pisses me off.
 
solamar said:
Not feeling sorry for iFixIt in the least.. it was actually dishonest to accept a development piece of hardware they never intended to develop for .. they deprived an honest dev who would have development for it and broke their own agreement in the process..

Opportunistic jerks really.. They've been going this directly more and more lately IMO. Their tools are expensive too boot. Never will get a dime from me.
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Sure they signed that agreement..but you could thank them for revealing what was inside.
 
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