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Apple Has Lost Control Over Controversial Error 53

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Apple's PR approach to the reporting of 'error 53' in the last week has been poor at best. Following The Guardian's coverage of the issue, Apple has released a handful of bland statements about security, fraudulent parts, hoping these will be enough to declare the issue closed. Meanwhile, the anger over Error 53's root cause, Apple's approach to customer repairs, and a lack of a cost-effective solution has been building online unabated.

The technical reasons for Error 53 have been partly lost in the conversation. Apple has a strong case for taking action to lock down a smartphone that has had its secure elements breached. There are technical reasons for two of the elements that caught my eye (why the lock-down only happens during the update process, and why the error message is so cryptic). Charles Arthur goes into exquisite detail on The Overspill, so I'll direct you there for the full details.

But it's not the technical issues that I find the most intriguing part of the story - it's how the story has created its own myths, what the story says about Apple's attitudes to users, and the question of Apple's PR response.

Apple did make a statement ahead of the original story in the Guardian, which was subsequently updated to read:

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.

That's not good enough for me. Apple traditionally has been a very secretive company, leaving its products to do the talking, but in the case where the product is saying all the wrong things (or people are interpreting what the product is saying in a negative way) then the artistic void should be put aside and clear facts should be released that acknowledge the situation, explain what has happened, and extend a solution.

Apple is right in stating that the security measure prevents a fraudulent TouchID sensor from being used, but that's not the only thing that it stops. It stops anything except the original TouchID sensor being used. In effect it says that this part cannot be replaced except by Apple.

The error is due to the paired relationship between the TouchID sensor and the rest of the iPhone hardware. Replacing the part means a new relationship is created, and the check occurs during the update process as it compares the relationship to that held on Apple's authentication service. If it doesn't match... Error 53 pops up and the iPhone is bricked.

Next: It's not just fraudulent parts that are to blame...

Kyle Wiens is the co-founder and CEO of iFixit, and has been dealing with the fallout of Error 53 since the release of iOS 9. He makes it clear the issue is not just fraudulent parts, but any replacement part.

The trouble with that answer, though, is that Error 53 isn’t necessarily a problem of third-party parts. It can happen with new OEM parts out of a different iPhone. It’s a matter of synchronization—not third-party parts. Also, a lot of people live in places where they can’t just pop into an Apple store for a repair. Because there is no Apple Store to pop into—and there is no Apple-authorized service provider within hundreds of miles. In those cases, lots of people go the DIY route, or go to a local mom-and-pop repair store. The Guardian details, for example, a freelance photographer who broke his phone while covering the refugee crisis in the Balkans.

Apple's statement does not contradict this, but it does carefully omit the issue with genuine parts instead leaning on the 'fraudulent TouchID' statement. Place these two statements side by side and Apple's statement is less than comprehensive and relies on spin to divert the issue. Apple says that the breach of security that lies behind Error 53 is irreversible, but I can't help thinking that there must be a way to re-establish the relationship. After all, Apple can replace the TouchID sensor on an iPhone and the unit will be eligible for updates.

Wiens and iFixit have a position in this almost political game as well, but his blog post is clear. Along with many others, iFixit believes that "repair professionals should be able to unlock devices—and that they should have access to the same parts and the same tools that 'authorized' repair shops do."

This gets to the root of the problem. Should Apple be the only company that can reset the secure elements of an iPhone? Apple's almost pathological need to keep the iPhone ecosystem secure has resulted in an App Store which is far safer than the Android ecosystem. It does not have a huge number of duplicate apps, scamware, or spyware. It will remotely shut down apps that exhibit signs of malware. It has shown a strong commitment to users' privacy in negotiations with government agencies over encrypted messages. Extending that principle to keeping the secure area in each iPhone is simply Apple doing what Apple has always done.

Broadly speaking, I'm in favour of Apple's approach, but I wish it was better explained and took more account of real-world issues. There should be a responsible partnership between the manufacturer and the consumer. But a partnership needs two-way communication and Apple is clearly not involving itself in the Error 53 discussions. The impression that many people are taking away from this story is one of Apple bricking repaired iPhones and washing its hands of any possible solution beyond 'buy another iPhone'. It is allowing the idea of 'greedy Apple' to take hold.

The Error 53 issue is a complicated one, tied up in security, personal data, secure computing, liabilities, and ideology around ownership and repair of modern computing devices.  Apple has had many opportunities to take a lead and explain its approach to handset security before the Error 53 issues came to light. Instead it has simply said that its approach is "necessary" with the implication that it has said more than enough and everyone should accept this decree. It is not enough.

Apple has a responsibility to offer ongoing support to iPhone owners and should be explaining these issues. Instead it is letting the story be told by others, letting the media set the agenda, and is once more demonstrating Apple's ability to shoot itself in the foot when dealing with problematic issues in the glare of the media spotlight.

(Now read about Apple's chaotic defence of the Smart Battery Case).

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