Apple Taking Heat for Switching to Custom Screws on iPhone 4 and Portables

[chris975d]

They need no such clause. Why don't you go and form a class action lawsuit against apple - I will sign the petition just so that you will have that .01% of people who gives a damn.

edit: it's the people who claim they have "legal rights" to do whatever they want to a product they purchased...the litigation for this is still ongoing (sony vs geohot)...we will see..

So the ones of you that are ok with this change, and ok with Apple replacing the screws on existing customers' products without consent, you'd all also be perfectly fine if you took your existing car (which has a standard oil plug that the average owner can take out if he/she chooses) to the dealership for an oil change (say you didn't have time to do it yourself this occasion), and got it back with a special drain plug in place that only the dealership has a wrench for? And have done this without your permission?

So you're one of the one's that would be perfectly happy with the scenario I laid out in my above quote regarding your car? Because it's exactly the same thing.

And you're referring to the litigation that is similar to what Apple has already had ruled against them regarding the end user being able to jailbreak their device as they see fit?

 

[vincenz]

At least one company is making money off this

 

[lilo777]

TO ALL THE WHINERS AND COMPLAINERS:

In which way did Apple RIP YOU OFF? By replacing screws with a different type? Like I said before, if you don't like that, don't buy the iPhone. If you don't like the way manfacturer A/B or C prevents you from opening their product, don't buy the product made by them.

Where is the legal clause that states you as a consumer is free to disassemble, dismantle, hack, or circumvent a product you purchased freely?

It's not even about the screws you are whining about - it's just the fact you see something apple changed and right away snap and say Apple did this to you - boo hoo hoo. Move on with your life and if you are really adamant about opening up the damn device, you will either

1) find the right tool no matter how expensive
2) don't open up the device and enjoy your phone as is

Why don't you complain why apple doesn't make it easy to add more ram or allow you to connect an SD card slot for expanding memory? They changed the regular screws to something awkward - so find a solution and move on.

The last time I checked you bought the phone NOT because it was easy to open up but because it was a closed ecosystem and had tons of apps for you to enjoy...

I totally agree. People, do not buy Apple products!!

 

[iPadThai]

So you're one of the one's that would be perfectly happy with the scenario I laid out in my above quote regarding your car? Because it's exactly the same thing.

BMW's have an oil change plug that you must use to disengage the maintenance reminder. Honda requires two button presses while you start the car. If you don't like how BMW doesn't allow you to change the oil as easy as honda, don't buy the BMW.

If I brought my car into the shop to have an oil change and they changed the oil plug on me to something that I don't have the tool to change it myself, then that's against the law because there is a law that allows you to service your own vehicle.

This is a phone - most of the components aren't even serviceable. The argument is moot about whether or not the screws have been changed. Too bad for that .01% of the people who want to open their iPhones via the philips type screws - go buy a tool that will allow you to - nothing is stopping you. Just because apple changed it when you brought your phone in - so what? You needed it serviced for some reason - they changed the screws out - but it's not like you can't open it, it just requires a different tool.

Go to ifixit and buy their tool set. Problems solved. The iPhone was never ever sold as a device advertised as easy to service yourself and you can open it freely with a simple philips screwdriver. Nothing has changed.

 

[obyte]

This is shameful advertising of the worst sort from both ifixit and mac rumors (with the ridiculous title "apple taking heat for"... taking heat from who, one chick on one web site? Boy that's a lot of heat...), I don't know what the cut is for mr, but these "news" have not been reported on any other mainstream mac/apple site that I know of...

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=iphone+4+gets+new+screws

It's gotten ridiculous. I love how they claim that no one reliable has the screwdrivers and then HEY WHAT DO YOU KNOW? iFixIt has them! The biggest reason for this is to stop the white iPhone conversions.

So does everyone else who sells iPhone parts/accessories.

 

[dakwar]

Not cool, Apple. Not cool at all. But I'm not going to loose any sleep over it.

 

[macuserx86]

Apple confirmed for the creepy guy that wears tinfoil hats and hasn't left his basement in months.

Are they really that frightened that someone might *gasp* modify their magical innovation?

 

[Floris]

iPhone4 from December 2010 - T-Mobile.NL 16gb, black

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/693961/iphone4_december_2010_tmobile_replacement.png

Non-US model obviously, since I am Dutch. Seems to have those flower-like screws in there, though they are quite pointy.

I had a phone but it had an issue, they replaced it with this one.

 

[cppguy]

As long as it only affects the iDevices and the batteries, it's not the end of the world. But they're really going to make everyone pissed if hard drives / RAM become unaccessible. It is already a big problem in the iMac -- I want to be able to easily change my RAM and hard drive, without having to remove the LCD . After all, I paid for the hardware, it's mine.

Also, Apple should offer a RAID 0 option in the MBP and iMac, even at the cost of giving up the DVD drive, for those who choose so. After all, who's using disk media anymore?

 

[jona2125]

I really think the only kind of illegal repair would be replacing the phillips screws with the pentalobe ones without the owners permission. if you take your phone in to get fixed, thats what you should get out of it, they shouldnt be changing things on the side. that would be like you taking a car in for an oil change only and coming out with new tires you didnt even ask permission to do.

 

[meechy]

Shame on them?

What business is it of anybody to tell Apple what to do?

They don't want people to open their stuff.

For the few technically inclined this is not a problem, (we'll get in there).

For the rest of all the users it's a non issue.

So you mean to tell me that the MacBook, iPad, Apple TV and iPhone 4 which i bought and paid for with my hard earned cash i dont really own them? It is still Apples???

How does that work then, you care to explain?

 

[scottsjack]

Typical american mentality. Have you ever thought about why some things are put in place to prevent servicing? Wait, because you can open it up yourself does not mean it's ok - so what if you do and because you are so adamant about servicing it yourself you do something wrong and end up hurting yourself? You sue the company? Man, stop with the nonsense. If you gonna open up a non-serviceable phone like the iPhone4, then you gonna open it up regardless of what screws they put in. But the real issue is that it's an inconvenience to you because wait, you don't have the right tool to do it and that chaps your arse...

Wow, typical non-American mentality. . . waiting for some authority to tell you what to do or doing your common sense thinking for you. Not all people are sheep.

 

[nospeed411]

Being an engineer and in the automotive industry. I can see the point of this. Often times when technicians do repairs the bolts are one time use only. Either because they are stretch type bolts or there is a type of thread locker on them. For the most part they are of the same type and design. However due to manufacturing, supplier constraints they are different in drive type. I.E. once was a 16mm now it's unbrako or torx type fastener. I feel this is probably the case here. The fact that the little wench on iFixit has her panties in a twist is beyond me. Seriously get a friggin grip. I am soooo sick of the conspiracy theory nut-jobs running rampant around here and in the Apple community.

If you dont like it buy a Dell or get a f*&^ing new screwdriver!!!!!!

 

[lilo777]

So you mean to tell me that the MacBook, iPad, Apple TV and iPhone 4 which i bought and paid for with my hard earned cash i dont really own them? It is still Apples???

How does that work then, you care to explain?

It's easy. With Apple, you never buy the device. You buy "experience"

 

[chris975d]

BMW's have an oil change plug that you must use to disengage the maintenance reminder. Honda requires two button presses while you start the car. If you don't like how BMW doesn't allow you to change the oil as easy as honda, don't buy the BMW.

If I brought my car into the shop to have an oil change and they changed the oil plug on me to something that I don't have the tool to change it myself, then that's against the law because there is a law that allows you to service your own vehicle.

This is a phone - most of the components aren't even serviceable. The argument is moot about whether or not the screws have been changed. Too bad for that .01% of the people who want to open their iPhones via the philips type screws - go buy a tool that will allow you to - nothing is stopping you. Just because apple changed it when you brought your phone in - so what? You needed it serviced for some reason - they changed the screws out - but it's not like you can't open it, it just requires a different tool.

Go to ifixit and buy their tool set. Problems solved. The iPhone was never ever sold as a device advertised as easy to service yourself and you can open it freely with a simple philips screwdriver. Nothing has changed.

You also knew (or could obtain knowledge of) those requirements on the BMW and Honda before you purchased the cars. It didn't change suddenly after purchase.

 

[tigress666]

Great, I just had my MBP in for repairs (not even a year old *mutter*). Now I'm worried they replaced the screws (and with the track record I've had with macbooks/macbook pros, I don't trust that there won't be some future thing I'll need to fix once my warranty is out).

 

[CFreymarc]

You know there was just a U.S. Copyright Office decision passed down last July that basically says people have the right to jailbreak their own smartphones, right?

Yup, you own the device, you can do whatever you want with it. However, warranty can be voided if done so. Nice to know the wide side is alive and well.

 

[iPadThai]

You also knew (or could obtain knowledge of) those requirements on the BMW and Honda before you purchased the cars. It didn't change suddenly after purchase.

No actually, to be honest, I didn't. But would I buy the Honda? Perhaps - but my whole point of argument isn't to piss you off - it's just that if someone wants to really open the ip4 up they will do so no matter if apple puts in a security bolt.

I can understand why some people would be mad because their original phones came with philips screws and now replaced with something awkward - but that doesn't mean apple is out here to rip people off now. It's a screw that requires you to buy something - from ifixit it seems. It's not a big deal and I'm just sick of hearing apple doesn't do this for you, blah blah blah because everyone knows how closed off apple products are - but that never stopped people (like the Jailbreaking team) from hacking their devices.

Also a side note:

As a father myself, i can see the real benefits of having these screws in place - so that my menace child will NOT take a regular screw driver from the kitchen and open up my $300+ device!

 

[chris975d]

Great, I just had my MBP in for repairs (not even a year old *mutter*). Now I'm worried they replaced the screws (and with the track record I've had with macbooks/macbook pros, I don't trust that there won't be some future thing I'll need to fix once my warranty is out).

Well...it's ok. According to some in this thread, that's not your laptop anyway. It's Apple's. They can change it how they see fit. Your little inexperienced self doesn't need to be dicking around in daddy Steve's computer, anyhow. /sarcasm

 

[BC2009]

First off.... iPhone is hardware not software. With software you do NOT own it, but rather you purchase a license to use it with specific stipulations. So iOS running on your iPhone is subject to a license agreement. Hardware on the other hand is owned by the purchaser -- it is not Apple's phone -- it is your phone -- feel free to open it and do whatever you like (after getting your special iPhone-4 liberation kit from MJ and her friends at ifixit).

Anyway, because of this differentiation between hardware and software, most manufacturers like to use little stickers that "if broken void the warranty", with such stickers always placed right on the seams of things or over screw heads. My Palm Treo had some stickers over some vital screw heads required for opening the device -- hence a screw driver inserted into the screw hole and onto the screw head would tear the sticker apart, but there was no easy way to remove the sticker before hand.

Apple hates stickers -- they would cheapen the look of their phone. They are also not fond of recessed screw holes since they like a smooth finish on their devices. Their only option then to avoid people opening the device and breaking it and then asking for a replacement is to make it hard to get into the phone.

This measure by Apple amounts to prevention to reduce replacement costs by creating a deterrent for the typical Joe Schmoe from opening up his device and breaking something. Apple knows that some small percentage of people will still open them, break them, and then lie about it and get a free replacement; but they know that percentage goes way down if they use a really non-standard screw (which will likely change every couple of years).

Apple is not trying to keep you out of your phone because they feel it is still their phone, they just need something better than a "phone entry" sensor (akin to the water damage sensor). Imagine:

Customer: My iPhone stopped working, can you help?

Apple Rep: The sensor shows you tried to open the device, sorry.

Customer: The sensor must not be working right, I never opened it.

Apple Rep: I either have to call you a liar and lose your business or
give you a free phone -- what good is that sensor anyway?

Since embedded sensors in the phone can malfunction, you don't want to alienate the customers who drive your business. Using non-standard screws seriously reduces the number of people who can actually open the device and minimizes losses due to untrained technicians attempting modifications or repairs while vastly improving the customer service experience for the majority of people (i.e.: Apple reps don't call them liars due to a malfunctioning sensor -- they just give you a free phone).

Seems to be a smart move on Apple's part if you ask me. You alienate far fewer people by making it hard to get into the device than you do by denying them a warranty replacement based on the report of some internal sensor indicating the device had been opened.

 

[tigress666]

Well...it's ok. According to some in this thread, that's not your laptop anyway. It's Apple's. They can change it how they see fit. Your little inexperienced self doesn't need to be dicking around in daddy Steve's computer, anyhow. /sarcasm

Pffft!

I don't know much about repairing computers. It's not that hard though if you get a manual (not that I've done anything too complicated but I did replace the hard drive/cooling fan/top case of my previous macbook). If I can do it, anyone with a decent amount of intelligence and some mechanical inclination can do it.

So my inexperienced self can still manage to do it. And my poor self would rather just do it myself when the computer is out of warranty if it's not something super complicated. Oh wait, that doesn't get them money.

I'll just pay ifixit for their liberation kit and Apple still won't get my money for suck a crappy move. Maybe they should build more durable computers if they don't want me messing around with my computer (love OSX, love the MBP design, but so far with both the macbooks I've had not impressed with quality. I mean this MBP that's in the shop is a little over half a year old!).

 

[iPadThai]

First off.... iPhone is hardware not software. With software you do NOT own it, but rather you purchase a license to use it with specific stipulations. So iOS running on your iPhone is subject to a license agreement. Hardware on the other hand is owned by the purchaser -- it is not Apple's phone -- it is your phone -- feel free to open it and do whatever you like (after getting your special iPhone-4 liberation kit from MJ and her friends at ifixit).
...

I see we have a laywer in here (geohot can really use your help against Sony right now...)

 

[Matt Westfall]

Just like in 'A Christmas Story'. "A crummy commercial?"

Good thing I didn't wait 6 weeks for my Little Orphan Annie secret decoder ring.

 

[BC2009]

I see we have a laywer in here

I'm not a lawyer -- if I was I would be able to afford a new iPad and iPhone every year.

 

[Apple OC]

there will be screwdrivers for these screws everywhere in no time ... sorry no story here