what does it mean to 'brick' a phone?

[Nerdsrock22]

I'm not trying to be an asshat here, I promise, but what software could possibly be worth messing up your new iPhone? I hear about this stuff happening alot, do people really need/want that much more than the iPhone has to offer?

[ISAtlanta300]

I'm not trying to be an asshat here, I promise, but what software could possibly be worth messing up your new iPhone? I hear about this stuff happening alot, do people really need/want that much more than the iPhone has to offer?

The freedom to switch carriers at will, The freedom to use prepaid sims when traveling abroad (instead of being a slave to AT&T's fees), the freedom to install third party apps make it worth it for a lot of people......