This hoax will render your iPhone unusable

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Apple is a child of the ’70s, but a new hoax that aims to get you to reset your phone to its supposed birthday of Jan. 1, 1970 will only bring you heartache.

Don’t fall for this hoax

The tech giant wasn’t formed until 1976, but there’s a screenshot circulating around the Internet that tells you to ‘…relive the magic on your iPhone. Change the date on your iPhone to January 1, 1970, press and hold the power button to reboot your device, and prepare for a wild ride!’

Read more: Apple banned these iPhone apps following a security breach

That ‘wild ride’ will actually brick your device and prevent it from booting up, according to U.K. newspaper The Guardian. The following models are at risk:

  • iPhones from 5S on up
  • the iPad Air
  • iPad mini 2
  • 2015 sixth generation iPod touch or newer

Worse yet, even taking your device into an Apple store reportedly won’t deliver a fix! So be careful out there!

Apple’s iOS9 permanently disables iPhones if serviced by a non-Apple technician

Meanwhile, iPhone 6 users everywhere are outraged by a new Apple update that permanently disables iPhones if a repair was done by someone outside of Apple. 

The so-called ‘Error 53’ problem surfaces when Apple’s iPhone software iOS9 is installed and if the phone has been serviced by a non-official repair person at any time in the past. Allegedly, the issue is connected to the home button that has touch ID fingerprint recognition. 

Read more: How to disable iPhone feature that could cost you hundreds of dollars

Though months may have passed since any repair was done, downloading the iOS9 update could render an iPhone completely useless — or as one journalist commented — it ‘will kill your iPhone.’

This post was last modified on March 22, 2017 1:08 pm

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