I bricked my wireless mouse the other day. Accidentally pulled the USB dongle receiver out of my computer when I thought I was pulling out my micro thumbdrive, they're about the same size and same color.
Long story short, the mouse stopped working. Completely bricked until I realized my mistake and plugged the receiver back in.
Yeah like if it even partially functions as intended, it is not a brick. I once attempted flashing firmware to a motherboard, only for my power to go out midway through. Kaput, $200 down the drain, I no longer had an electronic device, I had the world's most expensive paperweight.
"Bricking" means rendering a phone permanently unusable other than as an effective brick. If what OP said was true, then OP went through 5 phones before getting it to work.