Summary: iFixit puts hand on stove, is slightly surprised to get burnt.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Bans iFixit Developer Account and Removes App After Apple TV Teardown
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You sound like one of those people who skips work all the time, and them blames them for letting you go because they "didn't try to work with you."
They should be banned. They knew they would be banned but they did it anyway.
Gotta say, it seems to me like a pretty egregious violation. It's also a fairly dishonest use of the lottery system, taking an advance box meant for developers out of the hands of an actual developer just to drive web traffic.
And publishers breaking news embargoes also would not hurt Apple? If you had gotten an iPhone for review before the official release and broke the embargo, you would have gotten a slap on the wrists as well (up to not getting a sample phone the next year).
I agree that Apple could have handled it better, but violating a NDA to get more hits and ad revenue is also rather petty.
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."
It's not really up to you to measure if something adequately "hurts Apple." Either you respect a contract you signed, or you don't. I guess your word is ALSO mud since you seem to think things like NDAs and contracts are up for debate AFTER you sign them.
"This is why we can't tear apart nice things!"
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!"
In generally in Apple's defense, but people need to understand that there was an NDA and it shouldn't have been violated. NDA's are not uncommon and it's not uncommon for companies to hold those they've contracted to said contract.
For those not understanding, the issue isn't that they tore it apart. The issue is that they tore it apart and made the information public before the date they agreed to wait.
There's a good chance ifixit can still get units before release of new product (we will have to see), so this likely doesn't effect the public in any way. And even if it does, they're free to buy hardware when it's publicly released and rip it apart as they see fit.
For those not understanding, the issue isn't that they tore it apart. The issue is that they tore it apart and made the information public before the date they agreed to wait.
There's a good chance ifixit can still get units before release of new product (we will have to see), so this likely doesn't effect the public in any way. And even if it does, they're free to buy hardware when it's publicly released and rip it apart as they see fit.
It's not petty, especially after reading their own statement. They read the rules and the NDA and decided to, in their own words, "toss them over the shoulder." You can't blame Apple on this one, this is clearly one company's mistake for blatantly disregarding the written rules.
The fact that there were chosen by Apple to even receive a developer unit says something, so commend Apple on that, but to go against their expectations and essentially pee all over it, says a lot about iFixit and it's not good.
They claim to have weighed the risks and still say "Live and learn"?
"…the app was outdated and riddled with bugs caused by iOS 9." That too is not Apple's fault iFixit.
So iFixit stick with your mobile site "planned" before your ban - LOL - but not sure why anyone would trust iFixit with any of their personal data, credit cards etc… to buy anything from them after proving they can't be trusted with confidential data.
What the world needs more arrogant or stupid people.
So iFixit stick with your mobile site "planned" before your ban - LOL - but not sure why anyone would trust iFixit with any of their personal data, credit cards etc… to buy anything from them after proving they can't be trusted with confidential data.
What the world needs more arrogant or stupid people.
No surprise. Showing the guts of an UNRELEASED product is a big no no. And ifixit is a big name. Imagine if Walt Mossberg published his iPhone 6S review 3 weeks ago right after he got his hand on one. You play with fire, you get burned. Apple PR is a beast.
You violate a contract by the most valuable company on earth....they're gonna respond.
I'm sure Dom is next.
You violate a contract by the most valuable company on earth....they're gonna respond.
I'm sure Dom is next.
They should have been fined as well. They've basically violated the NDA to gain profits from views to their site and advertising clicks, not cool by iFixit. Also their excuse in a form of that blog post is absolutely ridiculous.. weighted risks and then violate the NDA?!
How so? They signed an agreement and broke it. I'm glad there were reproductions, believe me as a developer who has an AppleTV app planned I would have loved to have one to get going, for everyone getting one that doesn't use it for its intended purposes there is a developer out there that did not get the chance do to their dishonesty.
Last edited:
