News - Apple swapping screws to make it harder to open devices

[watercooled]

Because that's not typical of apple is it lol! Like i care anyway, all the more reason NOT to buy an apple product? pff

This. And just another reason I don't own, or am ever likely to own, an Apple product. Well, I do own a 512MB Gen 1 iPod Shuffle - I used it for about 30 minutes then chucked it in a cupboard because I thought it was crap and went and bought a Samsung MP3 player. I mean at the time it was mostly because I thought iTunes was crap and I hate being locked into software but it's the same sort of thing. I bought it and want to be able to do what I want with it.

@abaxas: Huh? I mean I'm not up on law and all that but that's the first I've heard of something like that! AFAIK, even everything the Queen 'owns' (i.e. crown jewels, Buckingham Palace, etc) is all state-owned.

[watercooled]

There is an engineering aspect to this, you know.

Some screw head designs are more durable and less prone to stripping. So maybe they've changed the grade of metal in the screw and are using a different head to complement it.

Pentalobe isn't "tamper resistant", it's just different, and requires a special screwdriver, the same as torx vs regular philips. A tamper resistant screw can only be screwed in, and needs drilling out...

It's a possibility but don't forget this is Apple we're talking about - what is the more likely reason?
I don't consider normal screws to have a problem with durability, provided they're decent quality and you use the correct bit. Or maybe this is a way of saying Apple products are so unreliable the screws need to be nearly indestructible because of how often they must be removed?

[Agent]

It's Apples subtile way of telling its users they are still being screwed....

[jim]

It would be about the most daft security method conceivable.

Being world-famous Apple, within about 4.5 seconds someone will be selling iPhone screwdrivers for £1.99 on eBay to capitalise on the new trade potential.

[watercooled]

I think they just like to be awkward and make every possible thing proprietary so their stuff will work with nothing else so you are forced to buy their overpriced rubbish again and again.
Edit: I mean look as that stupid USB extension cable that came with someone's keyboard on these forums a while ago - who even thought of doing something so pointless?

Sorry I'm going off on another apple rant.

[MadduckUK]

I think they just like to be awkward and make every possible thing proprietary so their stuff will work with nothing else so you are forced to buy their overpriced rubbish again and again.

what company in their right mind would want you to buy their products again and again

[watercooled]

You know where I'm coming from. At least other companies don't blatantly go to such extremes to do it. I mean even MS is far more open - they sell MS Office but you can install any other office app.

Edit: Bad analogy - ignore.

[Biscuit]

You know where I'm coming from. At least other companies don't blatantly go to such extremes to do it. I mean even MS is far more open - they sell MS Office but you can install any other office app.

You can do that on a mac :/ For example; I run open office on my mac.

Mac OSX is just as open as windows is really and in the mobile world, the new W7 phone is just as closed as iOS is.

I know what you mean about Apple's approach to rule every single element of your entertainment lifestyle i just think you are picking quite bad analogies. Sony are the only other company to try this kinda thing but they have been well and truly trumped!

[watercooled]

Yeah it was just a bad analogy - I did realise that shortly after posting it. I was referring to how closed Apple are (thinking iPod/pad/etc in terms of closed software) rather than OSX but given half a chance that would be the same way.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

And, why would anyone want to take apart their £400/500 iphone ?

Don't desecrate the shiny??

[aidanjt]

There is an engineering aspect to this, you know.

Does anyone seriously believe engineering is a consideration to anything Apple does?

Well.. aside from social engineering, that is.

[superscaper]

But the fact remains that they're just different, not tamper-proof.

It's been a while since I was involved in manufacturing engineering but isn't "tamper-proof" simply attributed to the rarity of the tool required to open it? Tamper Resistant Torx even has it in the name and the only thing that makes it tamper proof is that the tool is harder to get hold of and I'm willing to bet that a pentalobe tool is even scarcer.

[watercooled]

Yeah I think it's just because you'll find a crosshead/flathead/pozi screwdriver in most homes - few have uncommon ones. Of course, you could just Dremel a slot on the screws and open with a flathead.

[Mattus]

I can't say I get it. Most people who are willing to disassemble a £500 phone are not going to be thwarted by the need for an unusual screwdriver that might cost a few quid more.

[MadduckUK]

I can't say I get it. Most people who are willing to disassemble a £500 phone are not going to be thwarted by the need for an unusual screwdriver that might cost a few quid more.

not only that, but these screwdrivers can be used more than once, and are pretty small!!! so can easily be sold at almost no loss, or kept as a "communal" item for people to borrow as needed.

Its actually MORE futile than anti-piracy measures

[Consfearacy]

Any toolmaker or metal fabricator worth his weight in salt could make a tool in less than five minutes that would open any type of screw. So what have apple actually achieved??? Nothing apart from giving Joe public another reason to moan about their feeble efforts to prevent people from getting inside their products.