If you’ve been considering buying an iPhone then unlocking it, you may want to think twice before doing the deed. Apple today issued a warningagainst using unauthorized iPhone unlocking tools, because they may render your iPhone an unusable brick the next time you install an iPhone software update. Quoth Apple:

Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone’s software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (http://www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone’s warranty.

Eek! At least they issued a warning in advance. I think everyone who unlocked their iPhone knew that a future iPhone software update could re-lock their iPhone, but
I don’t know if anyone expected “irrepairable damage” to result.

TUAW has posted a guide to relocking your iPhone.

In other news, we’ve reported way too much iPhone news the last couple weeks. Yikes.

UPDATE: Phil Schiller has commented on this isssue:

‘’This has nothing to do with proactively disabling a phone that is unlocked or hacked,’’ Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in an interview. ‘’It’s unfortunate that some of these programs have caused damage to the iPhone software, but Apple cannot be responsible for ... those consequences.’’