I guess there’s the model number printed on the chassis? Not as granular as all the data collected in that serial number though.This is useful if the machine you're looking at isn't given specifications, or is broken and you want to know what model it is. For example, if you are looking to buy a used MacBook on eBay, but the seller didn't provide the specs because they don't have a charger or something, you can quickly find out what that model was by using the serial number. I use everymac a lot too, but both methods are useful.
Here's hoping there is still some way for the serial to identify what model it is, just not the other info that is apparently bad to know.
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Apple Planning Switch to Randomized Serial Numbers for Future Products Starting in 'Early 2021'
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As I understand it (I don't have the patience for such things, but I have watched videos), you have to supply a Hackintosh with a valid serial number to use various iCloud products, including iMessage. Now, it seems like there would be myriad of other ways to stop this if they view it as a problem (I don't, in fact, I think Hackintosh is a gateway drug for buying Macs) but this is perhaps the easiest way.
As far as ARM undermining Hackintosh already, I don't buy it. Without some apple-side verification (which I suspect this is enabling) and only facing local hardware, hackers almost always find a way. I hope they do still, but Apple could surely track the number of machines active with this new unique ID with sufficient phoning home.
I'm not sure occasionally pinging back to Apple itself is much of a privacy violation. Still, if it could be associated with you and activity on your machine by Apple (perhaps activity that is not even on the internet), it very well could be a privacy issue.
Why not? If it meets Apple’s standards I don’t worry myself where it came from. In a way it’s great that Apple is diversifying its manufacturing. It means more factories around the world being carbon neutral & Apple also overseeing working conditions.
Ugh,
BOE Rumored to Supply iPhone 13 Display Panels After iPhone 12 Failures
Display manufacturer BOE will be one of the main suppliers of OLED panels for iPhone 13 models, according to a new report today from Taiwan's...www.macrumors.com
Here you go
"The latest news surfaced that the 10 million screen orders BOE had previously prepared for Apple will currently only be used in the refurbished version of iPhone 12"
They’re not the first company to do this!
Rolex switched from serial serial numbers, to scrambled serial numbers around 2010/2011.
The reason for that change is because most people would prefer a watch made as recently as possible, not one that perhaps has been in the dealer’s display case for a couple of years.
Now you can only be sure of the year of manufacture with the most popular models that never make it to the display case in the first place.
Rolex switched from serial serial numbers, to scrambled serial numbers around 2010/2011.
The reason for that change is because most people would prefer a watch made as recently as possible, not one that perhaps has been in the dealer’s display case for a couple of years.
Now you can only be sure of the year of manufacture with the most popular models that never make it to the display case in the first place.
So that you won't know where your device was manufactured, just in case the US and that country of manufacturing get into some kind of political fight.
Apple should never really have gone to China in the first place, but if it does not have the will to move manufacturing back into the US and wants to continue manufacturing outside the US, then it can be any country since standards required to make the product would have to be met in any case. Coming as you are from China, your mocking is understandable.
Where they should be.
I did not think refurbished to mean lower quality. But, I admit, in my market we do not do refurbished so I am not aware how the idea works in practice.
As far as I understood, the serial number will be random (i.e. no link whatsoever with manufacturing info of the device), but will be constant. So the serial number of your device is still a means to identify you.
Where they should be.
Why do you think this way? Just because it is from China, it must mean lower quality?
I'm sure this doesn't mean that the serial number will be constantly randomized. That wouldn't work in too many ways to count. It simply means that the as each machine is produced, instead of having a meaningful, useful serial number string that consumers can use to determine important information about their product, it will have a permanently-set serial number that was assigned via. a one-time random process instead. So in most ways serial number tracking will work just as before. Although I also use the SN info to quickly recognize models in Mosyle for education management, for example, so it will immediately impact me in a negative way. But then again, so has 90% of what Apple has done post-Snow Leopard era, so that doesn't surprise me in the least.
I imagine this benefits Apple and only Apple, mostly in their continued push to prevent and eventually destroy our right to repair.
Although a serial number is hardly a feature and manufacturers have no obligation to explain the meaning of their serial numbers.
This will be my last response. Please do research on BOE. The country of origin is not germane. They are unreliable, and there are far better manufacturers that can meet demand. Apple is using BOE to increase its margins. Fine, I understand that. Apple better have a solid backup plan. My opinion is BOE displays are sub-par and always will be. Regardless of their point of origin.
Have a great day.
I understand, I was saying I think Apple could (and should) take things further and make serial numbers hidden and viewable only to Apple and the device owner. Perhaps making it digitally assigned upon activation and not given freely as it is now to Apps or Law enforcement...
I don't believe Apple's refurbished products are a problem. I simply don't want a BOE display in a device I am purchasing new, refurbished, or gifted. BOE is an unreliable partner. Period.
Would never show someone how to find the specs of their machine? I agree! They’d probably look it up themselves, then pretend like they performed some voodoo magic or something… ;0)A genius would never do that