People think of ownership as physical possession of an object. Given that you still own an object when you lend it to someone, and given the "intellectual property" construct it's obvious that not the legal understanding of the nature of ownership.
Simply put, ownership is the ability to prevent others from using the thing owned. Physically, legally, however. If you own something, you determine who uses it and how it it used.
Which is why I say Apple still owns your iPhone.
An Apple software update is disabling iPhones that have been unlocked by owners who wanted to choose which mobile network to use.
Earlier this week Apple said a planned update would leave the device "permanently inoperable".
The initial title was Apple and ATT still own your iPhone; might be accurate, but Apple is the one jacking your $600 microcomputer.
Oh, you paid a grand for a pre-hacked iPhone? Heh.
This might not bother you. You may be used to it. After all, this same logic applies to all the media with digital rights management you've ever bought. Doesn't matter if you cn use it on all your PCs and your iPod. If you can be prevented from using the media, you don't own it.
It also apples to all the software that "phones home" that you own. In fact, I'm pretty sure most business software is still leased, according to the click thru license. Very little business software is legally owned by the folks that "bought" it (in the case of of software, pwnage is deemed sufficient).
On the other hand, that stuff isn't hardware. and frankly, if you got it like you'll buy a $600 computer to use for a phone and music player, take a damn soldering iron to it to find out how to use it on another network, you can afford two or three replacements. I really have no sympathy...and have less for those who bought prehacked iPhones. You can't buy geek cred.
But when the price gets down to $150, you still won't own the thing.
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