[LINK] "Apple smartphones affected by ‘Error 53’ spark controversy"

[rfmcdonald]

The Toronto Star's Raju Mudhar writes about how Apple's control-freak tendencies are resulting in consumer outrage. Justifiably, I think!

Whose iPhone is it anyway?

That’s one of the questions surrounding Apple’s smartphones after a growing number of people have reported their devices being made unusable — accompanied by an “Error 53” message — after having them fixed by a third-party repair shop.

Thousands of consumers have reportedly been affected by this error message, according to the Guardian, which has sparked talk of lawsuits against the computer giant.

Apple said in a statement that this error stems from a security feature of iOS9, related to its Touch ID fingerprint scanner in the Home button of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S models. “This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customer encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support,” the company said in a statement.

[. . .]

“It’s outrageous . . . they’re really extending their rights and reach, and it’s not clear to me the justification for doing so,” said David Fewer, director of the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa.

“Because it certainly looks like they are interfering with my property.”