2 : to render (an electronic device, such as a smartphone) nonfunctional (as by accidental damage, malicious hacking, or software changes)
// … those who dared hack the phone to add features … risked having it "bricked"—completely and permanently disabled—on the next automatic update …
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brick
Under the 'verb' usage:
2 : to render (an electronic device, such as a smartphone) nonfunctional (as by accidental damage, malicious hacking, or software changes) // … those who dared hack the phone to add features … risked having it "bricked"—completely and permanently disabled—on the next automatic update …