“Set the date to January 1, 1970”: The bug that kills iPhone and iPad

When the date is changed, the device is permanently locked. IPhone 6s, 6 and 5s and iPad become unusable due to “killer” error

We want more and more modern computers and smartphones, but we keep looking over our shoulders, lamenting the 8-bit and Snake. This nostalgia has made several users vulnerable, who have fallen for the joke organized on the web by an unknown “joker” who runs the risk of killing iPhones.

In fact, a fake ad is posted on the Internet. inviting you to “relive the magic of a classic Macintosh theme” on your very modern Apple device, encouraging users to change the system date to bring it to January 1, 1970 to activate a special and elusive “retro” screen of when the bitten apple still had the colors of the rainbow.

But changing the date iPhone 6s, 6, 5s, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and iPod Touch with 64-bit processor

they go crazy and become unusable. The “trappolone” was unveiled with a video on Youtube by Zach Straley, who showed what happens once the date is changed: The device freezes at the power-on screen and the operating system is no longer accessible.

The only solution seems to be to put the smartphone into service, as Apple itself urged to do after learning of the “epidemic.” But there are those who argue that to fix the error it is enough to let the battery drain completely, or physically disconnect the power circuits of the phone, as suggested. MelaBlog (a complex procedure for which, however, there are several tutorials online).