New iPhone Bug Promises Nostalgia, Delivers a Brick

Everyone likes a bit of nostalgia every once in a while. There is a neat little prank to bring us back to the age of the original Macintosh computer. As the story goes, if you set an iPhone 6s or earlier model back to the date of January 1, 1970 and reboot it, it’ll change the screen to look like that original Macintosh. Unfortunately, all it does is turn your phone into another artifact of the past, a pet rock. It might look cute, but it doesn’t have a lot of use.

As with most text messages and email messages, use caution when someone sends them with instructions to do something and you are not expecting it. And although some friends can really be ornery and convince you that it’s really fun and to try it, view anything like that with skepticism and do some research before performing these tasks.

If ever there are links sent, whether in email or text messages, don’t open them without being sure they are not going to install malware. When in doubt, just delete it without opening or clicking.

There have been several little “features” like this one with the iPhone, and Apple has been quick at releasing patches for them. It’s recommended to update all mobile devices and other equipment with the latest security and critical patches as soon as they are made available. According to the support page, this bug will be fixed in an upcoming iOS update. Until then, leave the past in the past.

If you have already fallen for it, there are two options for repair. One is to take it to an Apple Store and let them fix it. The other involves removing the tiny little screws that hold the phone together and disconnecting the battery for a bit. Instructions and the proper tools can be found on the Internet. Should you choose that option, proceed with caution. As we all know, it’s not so easy to get the contents back into the same spots in the box after they’ve been taken out.

Stickley on Security