TAMPERING customers and accessory makers alike are testing the patience of iPod and iPhone maker Apple – so it is inventing its way around the problem.
In a patent filed on 6 August, Apple reveals that it aims to thwart iPod and iPhone users who cause damage to their gadgets and then claim new ones under warranty (tinyurl.com/ll2hlr). “Consumer abuse includes exposing devices to liquids, extreme temperatures, excessive shock, and may also include tampering,” the firm says.
The patent describes an in-gadget sensor and circuit combination designed to record these “consumer abuse events” so shop staff can assess them when…
