I'm assuming each iPhone has a hardware-level id that you can't change by jailbreaking.
So, if I had a phone with id 321, and you stole it, then no matter what you did to it (wipe it, reformat it, jailbreak it), when you tried to re-activate it so it could do all the Apple-y things you want an iPhone to do (like make phone calls, or sync to your iTunes library), Apple would look at its own database and see that phone 321 is registered to doelcm82, and it would tell you that in order to activate it you need to enter the password for Apple ID doelcm82.
My iPhone is of very little use to you as a phone.
It won't stop theft. Thieves will just use the phones for parts then.
It's true. Apple actively resisted putting this feature in until they were treated with either legislation of being sued.
You see, Apple actually makes money on every iPhone theft because the victim buys another phone. Apple had no incentive to stop this.
My friend got a used iPhone 4 that was locked to a carrier, and she thought it's possible to "unlock" it one way or the other. After weeks of googling to try to help her, I came to the conclusion that it is simply not possible to unlock her device, at all, no matter what we did. I was quite impressed, since I've never come across a system that can't be cracked. This doesn't apply to every iPhone or iOS version, but it shows that it is possible for Apple to make a system secure enough, if they really want to.
Nobody said it would actually stop theft. But it may significantly hinder it.
Or at least it will give you the satisfaction that nobody can happily use your stolen phone.
I don't think it works that way. The apple ID will be associated to that specific ID through its serial number in Apple's database. If you wipe it from iTunes, at the time of activation, it will ask for the original Apple ID and password. You have to explicitly disassociate the iPhone from its original Apple ID for it to be used with another Apple ID. I think Apple's system works.The first thing a smart thief does is erase all content and settings and turn off the phone. If you have a passcode lock, they can't do this without wiping from iTunes. Hopefully this buys you enough time to report it lost/stolen; bricking the device until you enter your AppleID UN/PW.
Still have to go through activation.I know this a silly question, but what about a DFU restore?
lolalso, i guess you have the same problem with someone sending you a rock in a box marked "eyephone."
Oh politicians! Yes, this feature was magically created after your grand standing... no one ever thought it was a good idea before that or started all work necessary to bring it to fruition.
Talk about ego and self-aggrandising!
This could make online sales more difficult--since to check for activation lock you need to examine the iPhone in person.
Re-formating will do nothing to prevent activation from occurring. It's during the activation that Apple wins. I bet hacking will do nothing to it because jailbreaking occurs after activation.Stolen phones can still be re-formatted and hacked.
This has nothing to do with privacy. It's a mechanism against theft.Honestly, the "kill switch" by itself doesn't worry me. However the kill switch in conjunction with all the NSA eavesdropping reports is somewhat disturbing.
We have no control over our own devices or privacy.
I don't think this is a very lucrative market. Try to take an iPhone apart and you'll break the parts. The only useful thing would be the screen - not worth for thieves.It won't stop theft. Thieves will just use the phones for parts then.
So, when confronted with this screen, there is no way a potential thief could restore the phone in iTunes somehow bypassing this?
Re-formating will do nothing to prevent activation from occurring. It's during the activation that Apple wins. I bet hacking will do nothing to it because jailbreaking occurs after activation.
Yes, it does. You might not get it back but it will make stealing an iPhone worthless. If Apple still create a mechanism to communicate with the phone at activation, they might be able to locate it and tell the police. That way you would have a chance to get it back.This wont work on phones already stolen
Only this does not prevent theft for those that want to break down the phone and sell the screen or other parts - or to unauthorized repair shops...
It won't stop theft. Thieves will just use the phones for parts then.
I don't know. If my phone is lost or worse - stolen - I care more about the fact that I am without my phone more than someone is with it.
And if the nature of the crime is to use it for parts - the other party IS happily using my phone anyway...
I don't think this is a very lucrative market. Try to take an iPhone apart and you'll break the parts. The only useful thing would be the screen - not worth for thieves.
The hacktivation you are talking about is to circumvent activation towards a certain carrier. This is different and I bet Apple put a lot more thought to it than the carrier activation.Not always, you can make a custom ipsw already jailbroken and you can hacktivate.
I may be out of touch- but has theft for parts really become that lucrative? when you can just as easily buy a factory new part from china for pennies on the dollar?
I don't think so, most of the thefts involved have some connections with the insiders in the apple store. I have personally seen how they work. They make the phone physically dead and then ask for a replacement. this way the TouchID was never used at all by them.
Not always, you can make a custom ipsw already jailbroken and you can hacktivate.