Software locks
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Software locks are security measures used to control access and features in consumer electronic hardware and software.[1][2]These are Wikipedia citations! Software locks are not considered bad practice and are necessary for basic cybersecurity and operation of most hardware, though they can be abused.
Noteworthy bad practice examples
Anti Interoperability
See also: Proprietary protocols wip stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it.
real example apple mfi certifications on charging and data transfer accessories
apple's history of anti-Interoperability
Account-required products
Mobile phones
ref Small preamble focused on how mobile phones require an account in order to be used, reference Google Pixels and specific Android devices requiring a Google account, and iPhones needing an Apple account.
In appliances
HVAC app activation of furnace control boards (also an example of forced app download (editors note hard to find credible ref this is a thing with ruud furnace control boards) )
Binding hardware features to non-transferable user accounts / activation & licensing locks
-wip
Server connectivity reliance
Also see: Subscription service, Digital rights management
-wip
Further reading
Walled garden / Software Ecosystem