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OneMike

macrumors 603
Oct 19, 2005
5,814
1,795
Icaughtu, an app for a jailbroken phone, takes a picture (without the person knowing it) when an attempt to turn the phone off or when an attempt to circumvent the PIN screen and emails it to you with GPS coordinates. So, the phone effectively can't be turned off unless the SIM is pulled out giving the user some time to track the phone down and a pic of the person that stole it.

The fact that Find My iPhone can be twarted with the off switch is some what indicative that Apple didn't design it for theft, but accidentally losing it in your car or inside your home.

I use iCaughtU as well. If you have a CDMA phone it's pretty perfect since there is no sim to remove.
 

thefourthpope

Contributor
Sep 8, 2007
1,392
740
DelMarVa
Imagine if you could remotely burn your phone to make it and all its components worthless - the incentive to steal the phone is removed and the risk of getting caught whilst stealing it is still there. Criminals would stand to gain nothing, and lose something. Yes, there would have to be a raft of security measures to make sure someone else cannot do this to your phone, and to make sure it doesn't happen accidentally, but if you have insurance on your possessions from theft then this really doesn't cost you a great deal - yes there is a very, very slim chance of you recovering your phone and no having to pay your premium, but it pales in comparison to the gain of removing the phone from circulation.

You could even probably convince manufactures to incentivise burning the phone - one fewer phone in circulation and a guaranteed replacement phone is a win for the manufacturer, who make a discounted sale out of it, and a win for the consumer, who gets a swanky new phone at a smaller cost than they would have to pay to replace their stolen phone without such a scheme in place.

Just put it on a subscription service. You pay every two weeks or *poof* ATT torches your fancy little toy. "Of course, that kind of security will bring an added cost, but we feel that our customers are willing to be gouged a little bit more for the piece of mind that can only come from having your phone ignite in your pocket because you were on vacation and missed your payment by 4 minutes. (ATT is not liable for damage to pants or purses)."
 

moetownslick

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2009
124
5
I've personally had my iPhone stolen and the first thing the thief did was turn my phone off. I used the "find my iPhone" app for days and the thief never once turned the phone on when I checked, basically making the app useless.

I think a 4 digit password should be entered every time you try to turn the phone off, this might buy you some time to actually put the "find my iPhone" app to use.

Just a suggestion, but it could be effective in helping to stop amateur thieves.

I've always wanted this as well. Got my 4s stolen in 2011 and that's the first thing the thief did...switched it off. Find My iPhone rendered useless. I think a code to switch off would be a great idea. Although it wouldn't stop a savvy thief from "hard-resetting" the phone, it would give owners a quick chance to locate the phone...
 

IGregory

macrumors 6502a
Aug 5, 2012
669
6
What a surprise that Apple have no interest in stopping theft. My Iphone was taken to an Apple store after it was stolen and the phone was on the list. Apple did absolutely nothing even tho they knew stolen. Cheers Apple!

If I understand what you are saying, Apple checked the list, discovered your phone was stolen and did nothing? Is that what happen? Or, are you assuming someone at Apple checked the list but in reality no one did.
 

mytdave

macrumors 6502a
Oct 29, 2002
620
800
Personal Responsibility

It is not Apple's (or any other company) responsibility to keep your phone safe. The fact that they already have tools to "find my phone" and remote wipe is fantastic. If they come up with more tools, cool, but don't expect it from them.

The big problem is the same problem as with everything else. The ills that plague society - which all stem from a lack of morality and a lack of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

It's YOUR job to keep your own phone safe, not Apple's.
 

paul4339

macrumors 65816
Sep 14, 2009
1,448
732
What a surprise that Apple have no interest in stopping theft. My Iphone was taken to an Apple store after it was stolen and the phone was on the list. Apple did absolutely nothing even tho they knew stolen. Cheers Apple!

This is the carrier's maintained list, not an Apple list.
If it was stolen and nothing was done how do you know it was taken to an Apple store?

----------

This isn't about a maintained list, you have jumped to the wrong conclusion.

I had an irate police call asking why did Apple not call them when the phone was taken in. The local police told Apple that the phone had been stolen, this was the first gen iphone, it was 24 hours after they had been put on sale, it was a unique (for my town) event, so it was obvious there was a good chance the thief would take it in to the Apple store.. and he did! Apples response was they knew it was stolen but didn't want to get involved.


Sorry to hear about your phone, I would be disappointed in Apple as well!

But, if it was the first gen iPhone 24 hours after they have been put on sale, this was June 29-30 2007 ... nearly six years ago... Im sure that on day one they wouldn't have established processes/training on how to handle stolen phones....Even though to me it seems like common sense

Hopefully, they have changed their policies by now.

.
 

Big Dave

macrumors 6502
Nov 27, 2007
313
23
Crestview, Fl
How much does the expectation that you will buy a new iPhone once yours is stolen play into it? Conspiracy. Apple has a squad of highly trained phone thief ninjas that prey on the unsuspecting in order to boost sales. The thefts probably increase just before new models are scheduled to come out.
 

barkomatic

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2008
4,521
2,826
Manhattan
I think a "kill switch" function would be complicated for Apple to implement and has the danger of turning a private company into a branch of law enforcement. They might also become liable for certain losses. Big mess.
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
. But it's the "erase" feature that has me confused. The option to completely wipe the device, effectively restoring it to factory settings allowing the thief to sync it with their PC and have a fully functioning iPhone with little to no hassle...?

They can do that anyway. DFU restore gets past passcode locks even.

By allowing you to remote wipe it you, in theory, better your odds that your personal data stays safe. A
 

iPusch

macrumors 6502
May 30, 2012
379
0
Manhattan, New York
What a surprise that Apple have no interest in stopping theft. My Iphone was taken to an Apple store after it was stolen and the phone was on the list. Apple did absolutely nothing even tho they knew stolen. Cheers Apple!

It drives me nuts when I see people saying Apple have :eek: :eek: :eek:
You are british I bet aren't you?

----

I had to let it out folks
 

haravikk

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2005
1,499
21
Unless the hardware kill-switch physically destroys some part of the phone then I'm not sure that that would be a solution either, and I can just imagine the customers whose phones inadvertently decide they've been stolen!


The problem is as much an issue of the phone owners themselves; of course phones stolen through burglary or mugging are terrible crimes, but most of the thefts I hear of are from someone leaving their phone out on a table in a bar, or sitting in a purse, backpack or anything else from which it's not hard to steal the phone; pockets with no form of zip or button are another place that you really shouldn't be keeping technology worth hundreds of dollars!

It's the same deal with laptops; you pay $1000 or more for one then don't bother with a lockable laptop bag, or leave whatever type of bag you have lying on the floor or somewhere else that it can be easily stolen from. Keep it in front of you or physically in contact with you, between you and a friend or whatever.

Half the time gadgets are stolen its because someone hasn't taken even basic steps to keep them safe; I'm not suggesting handcuffing yourself to your laptop (though if I could afford a MacBook Pro I probably would do it ;)), just simple security for expensive and personal devices.
 

charlituna

macrumors G3
Jun 11, 2008
9,636
816
Los Angeles, CA
No it does not.

Yes it does, if you do the right kind of erase

----------

I'm going to assume that you meant "can't" be turned off by someone else.

There is a restrictions section in the settings on any iOS device, where you can select "do not allow changes" to accounts, which include iCloud features/services. This prevents anyone from turning off Find my iPhone if they have access to your phone. It uses a different pass code from the one used to lock your phone itself.

I recommend it to everyone, especially those who roll without a pass code lock, like me! :)

So you turn off the whole phone. Pull the SIM card out and out in a no service card from the same carrier. And turn it on in a place where there is no wifi or at least none it might recognize. It's offline so find my iPhone is bunk.

Then use the whole DFU restore method to get around any and all locks and erase it.
 

lostngone

macrumors 65816
Aug 11, 2003
1,431
3,804
Anchorage
This isn't about a maintained list, you have jumped to the wrong conclusion.

I had an irate police call asking why did Apple not call them when the phone was taken in. The local police told Apple that the phone had been stolen, this was the first gen iphone, it was 24 hours after they had been put on sale, it was a unique (for my town) event, so it was obvious there was a good chance the thief would take it in to the Apple store.. and he did! Apples response was they knew it was stolen but didn't want to get involved.

I wasn't jumping to any conclusion, I was just asking a question.
 

576316

macrumors 601
May 19, 2011
4,056
2,556
It drives me nuts when I see people saying Apple have :eek: :eek: :eek:
You are british I bet aren't you?

----

I had to let it out folks

Have is probably the correct word to use. It suggests Apple is a collective of people in a group, which is what a company is. Has suggests Apple is one thing, a singular, one mighty being overseeing all.

I am British.
 

JohnDoe98

macrumors 68020
May 1, 2009
2,488
99
I think a "kill switch" function would be complicated for Apple to implement and has the danger of turning a private company into a branch of law enforcement. They might also become liable for certain losses. Big mess.

While I agree, they could design the software and let the police flick the switch and assume the responsibilities. When you report the stolen iPhone and the police dept. offers to flick the switch, you sign a waiver indicating any losses etc. as a result of the switch will not be held liable to either Apple or the police dept.
 

mdelvecchio

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2010
3,151
1,149
What a surprise that Apple have no interest in stopping theft.

what on earth are you talking about? Find My Phone? participating in the database? meeting w/ the D.A.? all sound like interest to me.

My Iphone was taken to an Apple store after it was stolen and the phone was on the list. Apple did absolutely nothing even tho they knew stolen. Cheers Apple!

sounds like something went wrong. i very much doubt the employees knowingly and cheerfully helped a thief.

most curious that you blame the manufacturer of the device, and not the thief. easier target?

----------

I have no doubt that if Apple was so inclined, they could lock down stolen iPhones.

and why couldnt Google do this? Samsung, HTC? if its so easy and obvious...?

----------

Remember how Apple found Steve Job's computers after one of his houses was robbed? This indicated they know how to crack down on theft, but they won't for us.

how do you know this? do you know if they used the Find my Device feature? or one of the several third-party tools available?

youre just speaking out of ignorance if you dont know for fact.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,578
1,695
Redondo Beach, California
Apple could end the theft problem next week if they wanted to. Burn a serial number into each phone and deactivate them when they are reported stolen.

But why would Apple do that? Apple makes MORE money than the thief. Yes, literally. Apple makes more money then the guy who stole your phone. Apple gets to sell one more phone at full retail price while the phone thief is lucky to get 1/3rd the price of a new phone.
 

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,578
1,695
Redondo Beach, California
I think a "kill switch" function would be complicated for Apple to implement and has the danger of turning a private company into a branch of law enforcement. They might also become liable for certain losses. Big mess.

Not complicated at all. Aple burns a serial number into each phone, not on the ximm card but into the CPU chip. They charge you $1 on your credit card to disable the phone and permanently display the words "This iPhone is disabled." on the screen. The $1 charge on the owners credit card proves the request came from the owner.

Many microprocessors have internal "fuses". These can be blown only one time by a software command.

The idea here is not to find your phone but to make a stolen phone impossible to sell.
 

poppy10

macrumors regular
Sep 25, 2012
231
257
UK
Have is probably the correct word to use. It suggests Apple is a collective of people in a group, which is what a company is. Has suggests Apple is one thing, a singular, one mighty being overseeing all.

I am British.

Depends whether you speak American English or proper English.

This is from the Internet, so is probably true:

...here’s a significant difference between British and American English. In countries which follow British usage, words like government and corporation (or the name of one) are considered plural:

The government have decided to raise taxes.

Barclays have reported record profits for the third quarter.

In America, they’re singular:

The government has decided . . .

Barclays has reported . . .
I am also British, and would use "have" rather than "has".
 

Boomish69

macrumors 6502
Sep 13, 2012
398
105
London
Why the hell don't they make it impossible to use a stolen phone ? you know the technology exists!! It could be a no1 incentive to buy an iPhone, just build ina a burnt in no that can easily be blacklisted , nuff said...

Apple are seriously loosing the plot day by friggin day...
 
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