Apple blacklisting hacked iPhones?

Say it ain’t so! It seems that Apple is responding to the recent spate of iPhone hacks, third party applications, and unlocks in a rather unsavory manner. The company is reportedly “blacklisting” hacked devices that are brought in for service and/or return. According to a customer who experienced the wrath of Apple’s increasingly evil empire, he was informed that because his phone had been unlocked without Apple’s consent, it was blacklisted and therefore ineligible for return, service, or replacement. Bummer! To be fair, the customer was eventually able to return the phone (minus a 10% restocking fee), but the process involved several exchanges with the store’s manager. The important thing to note, however, is that unless the employees that initially denied the man service were acting our of company line, Apple now has an official policy in place to deal with hacked iPhones. Not cool. Thankfully most of the popular modifications are easily reversed by way of a software restore, but the trend is disturbing nonetheless. Come on, Apple!

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