So what if it's phoning home. You not supposed to mess with the Zohan iPhone. You got something to hide? You don't honestly think this will stop the iPhone from becoming the best selling smartphone of all time, do ya? Besides a few knowledgeable nerds, most users won't give a crap.
The same monitoring is probably done on BlackBerrys by IT people, so malicious apps don't get installed.
"I always feel like somebody's watching me ..." - Rockwell
Obviously not everyone frequents the "many other blog sites" to which you refer. Besides that, when was the last time a story on Engadget wasn't sourced from someplace else? I'm sure a lot like me come to get tech news, not tech scoops.
There's really nothing to defend or attack right now. Apple has a web page that keeps track of malicious software; that's it. Until someone finds code on the iPhone that actually does something with that information, everything being said is just speculative FUD.
So you want Apple to be responsible for the Apps you buy at the app store but you don't want them to Govern them????? WTF, how are they suppose to disable malicious apps????? uhhhh Genius.
You don't own the phone, unless you paid the early termination fee. Until then you're just leasing or renting it ... AT&T, or the provider owns the phone. The same way there are limits to what you can do to a car that you're leasing, there will be limits on a phone you're leasing.
I imagine those that ranked you high suffer from the same ... "this is my car" delusion.
FTA "This *suggests* that the iPhone calls home once in a while..."
"...but by all *appearances*, this has been added to disable..."
I believe Apple is capable of doing this, however, Suggestions and appearances do not impress me. Have you considered that this guy is just looking for attention? Has he been able to sniff packets?
Like I said, it's possible, but I want more than suggestions and appearances before I get concerned.
Another problem that has arisen...2.0.1 disables your ability to put movies on your phone that you rip from your own DVDs. The only movies you can sync in 2.0.1 are those you buy from iTunes! This is in addition to, on my phone anyway, having all kinds of new bugs emerge in the mail program.
@Steffen Dude it's not a question whether you are doing anything shady or not, it's the question of privacy. I don't do anything shady in my apt but it still doesn't give cops the right to enter my apt anytime they want or place a bug in my apt. In any case since it is MY phone I have the right to do anything I want with it. If I want to install a malicious app then I should be allowed to. Apple can however NOT service my phone in such case and if the app hacks into Apple's system then surely they can sue my ass over it. Apple should be looking at protecting their system more robustly NOT installing snooping software / code. I mean they should focus their efforts in fixing Mobile Me and having lesser down times on their online store.
@Prasand ETF has nothing to do with Equipment Discount. ETF is a contract term. No you are not leasing the equipment from ATT. You still have to pay the ETF even if you DONT buy any equipment from ATT. You just buy the line. Original iPhone users paid the full price on the phone and yet have to pay ETF even if they disconnect. Since ATT didn't pay the full price on the phone, it cannot be called as leased equipment and they don't itemize this in their bills. Also, if you move out of ATT coverage area, you can disconnect their service, not pay the ETF and still keep the equipment. That is why a court in CA recently ruled that ETFs are illegal in CA.
I guess your "knowledge" on the matter limits and prevents you from understanding the "concept".
Would you have comprehended it if I said, "you don't own the network that the web based product runs on, and thus can't do whatever you want"? -- Regardless of how we spin it, the person isn't free to do whatever they want ... short of disabling all web / network features, and using it as a PMP ... and even then at the end of the day, they'd still have to pay for that. The technicalities of a ETF, subsidy or whatever one wants to address ... doesn't negate the fact, that one can't do every and anything they want. -- Whether it's Apple disabling an app that violates something, or an ISP that disables network connectivity.
I completely agree that with your “you don’t own the network” line … however think of it this way:
I don’t own the roads I drive on and frankly I understand the need for cops of the roads to protect myself and other drivers … what I have a problem with is the idea that one particular car manufacturer is installing a cop in MY car instead of putting them out on the road where they belong.
I was just disagreeing with your statement "You don't own the phone, unless you paid the early termination fee." Even if I agree that I don't own the phone but I am just leasing it, it still doesn't give ATT or Apple the right to snoop into my phone. Take apt renting for example. Yes, I don't own the apt. But it still doesn't give the landlord any rights to come into my apt and do what ever they want. Yes, if I break things surely they can charge me.
And yes, ATT owns the network. But NOT the equipment which connects to it. Yes, ATT CAN prevent my iPhone or any other phone from connecting to their network if they detect I am running some undesired app or code. Say, teethering apps. But they cannot tell me NOT to install that app on my phone. Big Difference. By connecting to any network the network owner doesn't own the equipment. Yes, I cannot do whatever I want on a public network but I can surely do whatever I can with the phone I own.
I don't even like apple and this is NOW even more reason to not like them. I figure a simple browser redirect using a proxy server and hosting a rewritten page to list all of them active. Simple really when you think for two minutes.
I paid cash for my car. It is indeed MY CAR. And no you are not leasing it (the iPhone). You got a discount on it because you sign up for a contract which guarantees the phone carrier an income for the next how ever many years. Do you even listen to yourself when you talk (or type)? Clearly apple wants to control what apps are on the iPhone because it means for them....get ready for it....MORE MONEY. Leasing it would require payments for the phone and not for the actual cell phone service.
That's why huge corporations suck so much. They screw the consumer at every corner and with some clever advertising and a largely uninformed population, they get away with it. The iPod phenomenon (yea, it is just that) is nothing more than good advertising. THAT'S IT.
There are better MP3 players than the iPod, better cell phones than the iPhone (the Nokia N95 8GB for example), and MUCH better computers than Mac's all for a fraction of the cost of the Apple product. It is all about the money, and when dealing with a money hungry corporation like Microsoft, Apple, ect. you are going to lose your privacy.
Wait and see what happens with your DVR's...they've been collecting information on you and what you watch for years now. Soon they will collaborate with car companies, clothing, electronics, ect. and have advertisements directed at you depending on what you bought.
Apple is and will monitor what apps you have and control which ones will work, ect. its not about mal-ware. that is the biggest load of b.s. you could ever take from Jobs if you excuse the fact that he says his products are worth the price.
This is no more or less than a "iTrojan" by Apple themselves! More serious than let's say Apple partner T-Mobile spying on their customers (at least there they had not financial damage in the first place, but a massive attack on their privacy)
Also its existence being known and confirmed is likely to add a target to all sorts of hackers or "wizkids" trying to trigger such a switch with their own software on iPhones...
And you are absolutely right, the "we do this for your protection" argument is about as sound and serious, as Russia's reasons behind bombing Georgia even further into stone age.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Illogical Apple fanboi defense in 3 - 2 - 1 ...
0, -1, -2. -3.....
this post brought to you by 50 other blog sites many days ago.
What the F*uck is wrong with these companies in general?
You paid for the phone, you own that damn phone! period!
If you do indeed own the phone, you can do what ever to it.
I said, screw Apple!!
So what if it's phoning home. You not supposed to mess with the Zohan iPhone. You got something to hide? You don't honestly think this will stop the iPhone from becoming the best selling smartphone of all time, do ya? Besides a few knowledgeable nerds, most users won't give a crap.
The same monitoring is probably done on BlackBerrys by IT people, so malicious apps don't get installed.
"I always feel like somebody's watching me ..." - Rockwell
@v3xx
Obviously not everyone frequents the "many other blog sites" to which you refer. Besides that, when was the last time a story on Engadget wasn't sourced from someplace else? I'm sure a lot like me come to get tech news, not tech scoops.
There's really nothing to defend or attack right now. Apple has a web page that keeps track of malicious software; that's it. Until someone finds code on the iPhone that actually does something with that information, everything being said is just speculative FUD.
It's the new and improve Apply Internet QOS haha....
So you want Apple to be responsible for the Apps you buy at the app store but you don't want them to Govern them????? WTF, how are they suppose to disable malicious apps????? uhhhh Genius.
@ etechshop
You don't own the phone, unless you paid the early termination fee. Until then you're just leasing or renting it ... AT&T, or the provider owns the phone. The same way there are limits to what you can do to a car that you're leasing, there will be limits on a phone you're leasing.
I imagine those that ranked you high suffer from the same ... "this is my car" delusion.
.
echo "iphone-services.apple.com 127.0.0.1" >> /private/etc/hosts
FTA "This *suggests* that the iPhone calls home once in a while..."
"...but by all *appearances*, this has been added to disable..."
I believe Apple is capable of doing this, however, Suggestions and appearances do not impress me. Have you considered that this guy is just looking for attention? Has he been able to sniff packets?
Like I said, it's possible, but I want more than suggestions and appearances before I get concerned.
@etechshop
You got it all backwards... Once you buy the iPhone, Apple owns YOU. If you look at it that way everything becomes clear.
Another problem that has arisen...2.0.1 disables your ability to put movies on your phone that you rip from your own DVDs. The only movies you can sync in 2.0.1 are those you buy from iTunes! This is in addition to, on my phone anyway, having all kinds of new bugs emerge in the mail program.
@Geoff.
Then explain to me how I was able to rip Ronin and Pulp Fiction last night and put them on my 2.0.1 iPhone.
Maybe the problem is the user, not the firmware...
@Steffen
Dude it's not a question whether you are doing anything shady or not, it's the question of privacy. I don't do anything shady in my apt but it still doesn't give cops the right to enter my apt anytime they want or place a bug in my apt. In any case since it is MY phone I have the right to do anything I want with it. If I want to install a malicious app then I should be allowed to. Apple can however NOT service my phone in such case and if the app hacks into Apple's system then surely they can sue my ass over it. Apple should be looking at protecting their system more robustly NOT installing snooping software / code. I mean they should focus their efforts in fixing Mobile Me and having lesser down times on their online store.
@Prasand
ETF has nothing to do with Equipment Discount. ETF is a contract term. No you are not leasing the equipment from ATT. You still have to pay the ETF even if you DONT buy any equipment from ATT. You just buy the line. Original iPhone users paid the full price on the phone and yet have to pay ETF even if they disconnect. Since ATT didn't pay the full price on the phone, it cannot be called as leased equipment and they don't itemize this in their bills. Also, if you move out of ATT coverage area, you can disconnect their service, not pay the ETF and still keep the equipment.
That is why a court in CA recently ruled that ETFs are illegal in CA.
@ Indiatech
If you want privacy don't live in the USA, Apple are the least of your worries.
OMG! Good thing there are no Microsoft fanboys around to trounce on this unfortunate news.
@CraigJ: That was exactly my thought. I don't know what's up with my comment's low rank business. It's hurting my delicate ego.
@ IndiaTech
I guess your "knowledge" on the matter limits and prevents you from understanding the "concept".
Would you have comprehended it if I said, "you don't own the network that the web based product runs on, and thus can't do whatever you want"? -- Regardless of how we spin it, the person isn't free to do whatever they want ... short of disabling all web / network features, and using it as a PMP ... and even then at the end of the day, they'd still have to pay for that. The technicalities of a ETF, subsidy or whatever one wants to address ... doesn't negate the fact, that one can't do every and anything they want. -- Whether it's Apple disabling an app that violates something, or an ISP that disables network connectivity.
There are limits.
Even with the things you own.
.
@ Prasand J.
I completely agree that with your “you don’t own the network” line … however think of it this way:
I don’t own the roads I drive on and frankly I understand the need for cops of the roads to protect myself and other drivers … what I have a problem with is the idea that one particular car manufacturer is installing a cop in MY car instead of putting them out on the road where they belong.
@Prasand
I was just disagreeing with your statement "You don't own the phone, unless you paid the early termination fee." Even if I agree that I don't own the phone but I am just leasing it, it still doesn't give ATT or Apple the right to snoop into my phone. Take apt renting for example. Yes, I don't own the apt. But it still doesn't give the landlord any rights to come into my apt and do what ever they want. Yes, if I break things surely they can charge me.
And yes, ATT owns the network. But NOT the equipment which connects to it. Yes, ATT CAN prevent my iPhone or any other phone from connecting to their network if they detect I am running some undesired app or code. Say, teethering apps. But they cannot tell me NOT to install that app on my phone. Big Difference. By connecting to any network the network owner doesn't own the equipment.
Yes, I cannot do whatever I want on a public network but I can surely do whatever I can with the phone I own.
Nuttybar's inbox should be hurting by now..
I don't even like apple and this is NOW even more reason to not like them. I figure a simple browser redirect using a proxy server and hosting a rewritten page to list all of them active. Simple really when you think for two minutes.
@etechshop
It's just as bad as COMMUNISTcast censoring your internet connection.
@Prasand J.
I paid cash for my car. It is indeed MY CAR. And no you are not leasing it (the iPhone). You got a discount on it because you sign up for a contract which guarantees the phone carrier an income for the next how ever many years. Do you even listen to yourself when you talk (or type)? Clearly apple wants to control what apps are on the iPhone because it means for them....get ready for it....MORE MONEY. Leasing it would require payments for the phone and not for the actual cell phone service.
That's why huge corporations suck so much. They screw the consumer at every corner and with some clever advertising and a largely uninformed population, they get away with it. The iPod phenomenon (yea, it is just that) is nothing more than good advertising. THAT'S IT.
There are better MP3 players than the iPod, better cell phones than the iPhone (the Nokia N95 8GB for example), and MUCH better computers than Mac's all for a fraction of the cost of the Apple product. It is all about the money, and when dealing with a money hungry corporation like Microsoft, Apple, ect. you are going to lose your privacy.
Wait and see what happens with your DVR's...they've been collecting information on you and what you watch for years now. Soon they will collaborate with car companies, clothing, electronics, ect. and have advertisements directed at you depending on what you bought.
Apple is and will monitor what apps you have and control which ones will work, ect. its not about mal-ware. that is the biggest load of b.s. you could ever take from Jobs if you excuse the fact that he says his products are worth the price.
I replied, but it posted at the end of the blog. So go there "if" you want to see it.
This is no more or less than a "iTrojan" by Apple themselves!
More serious than let's say Apple partner T-Mobile spying on their customers (at least there they had not financial damage in the first place, but a massive attack on their privacy)
Also its existence being known and confirmed is likely to add a target to all sorts of hackers or "wizkids" trying to trigger such a switch with their own software on iPhones...
And you are absolutely right, the "we do this for your protection" argument is about as sound and serious, as Russia's reasons behind bombing Georgia even further into stone age.