There is now a mounting outcry from among iPhone 6 owners after a bug in the latest iOS 9 update lead to the so-called "Error 53," which would effectively kill the device without any hope of getting it fixed.
"Error 53" occurs when the system detects that it is being fixed or was fixed by a third-party technician. It is for this reason why Apple calls it a security feature instead of a bug. "We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect our customers," Apple said in an official statement sent to ZDNet. "iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone or iPad correctly matches your device's other components." If the system found a mismatch - wherein the check fails - Touch ID and the phone will be disabled for good.
Users who had their iPhones fixed by non-Apple technicians were able to use their devices in the past without any problem. But once they installed iOS 9, they can only watch in horror as the dreaded error message materializes. Once the phone dies, all data therein will be lost, according to The Guardian.
Critics argue that while it is fine to have a security feature that protects your iPhone, Apple should have informed its customers about the kill switch that came with the recent iOS update. Observers believe that most iPhone owners do not know of this information and are, therefore, at risk of frying their devices. Non-Apple technicians also had to endure the nightmare of fixing iPhones only to find that they have bricked the device, CNET reported.
