Does Apple Store store customer info linked with device's serial number?

[Joe's kitchen]

This question is about how Apple is handling privacy.

I'm wondering when I order (with personal information submitting like name, address, phone number, email address, etc.), and then buy an Apple product like iPhone, iPad, MacBook, at a physical or online Apple Store, would Apple keep record of who bought what serial number/UDID of Apple product?

Or perhaps, would it be depending on countries/regions?

I guess it won't happen when you buy at third-party retailers like Walmart or Amazon (I believe they keep record who bought what product, but not with each unique serial number), but how about Apple Stores?

 

[okkibs]

They are certainly keeping records of who bought what as a measure to combat fraud. It's certainly done within what applicable laws permit but at the very least this information needs to be stored in the first few weeks to track returns in the 30 day window. If you do not want any personal information to be collected when you buy a device you can go to the store in person and buy what they have in stock with cash to avoid any linked card info.

Apple does not automatically link any of your personal data to the device meaning that whatever device you buy will work the same whether you bought it when you were logged into your Apple accout or at Best Buy. Apple devices aren't personalized.

Keep in mind that Apple devices are notoriously bad for anonymous use because they always keep a connection to Apple servers and cannot be set up offline. They also record various identifiers like wireless networks in your area and connect to other Apple device with the Apple Find My network. I do not know what you are trying to do but if you don't want a device that the manufacturer can track and connect to your name then you will probably want to avoid buying Apple.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

They are certainly keeping records of who bought what as a measure to combat fraud. It's certainly done within what applicable laws permit but at the very least this information needs to be stored in the first few weeks to track returns in the 30 day window. If you do not want any personal information to be collected when you buy a device you can go to the store in person and buy what they have in stock with cash to avoid any linked card info.

Apple does not automatically link any of your personal data to the device meaning that whatever device you buy will work the same whether you bought it when you were logged into your Apple accout or at Best Buy. Apple devices aren't personalized.

Keep in mind that Apple devices are notoriously bad for anonymous use because they always keep a connection to Apple servers and cannot be set up offline. They also record various identifiers like wireless networks in your area and connect to other Apple device with the Apple Find My network. I do not know what you are trying to do but if you don't want a device that the manufacturer can track and connect to your name then you will probably want to avoid buying Apple.

You can certainly set up a Mac without internet connectivity.

 

[okkibs]

You can certainly set up a Mac without internet connectivity.

You cannot. There is no way to skip the setup process on modern Macs when it asks to connect to a wireless network or through the cable. Without internet connectivity the Mac will remain a brick.

 

[hushblade]

This question is about how Apple is handling privacy.

I'm wondering when I order (with personal information submitting like name, address, phone number, email address, etc.), and then buy an Apple product like iPhone, iPad, MacBook, at a physical or online Apple Store, would Apple keep record of who bought what serial number/UDID of Apple product?

Or perhaps, would it be depending on countries/regions?

I guess it won't happen when you buy at third-party retailers like Walmart or Amazon (I believe they keep record who bought what product, but not with each unique serial number), but how about Apple Stores?

Any retailer with a return policy will keep some kind of information so the receipt can be reprinted. How much information you volunteer depends on how you order it (guest checkout, purchase in-person at the Apple Store, etc.)

As a former Apple Retail employee, I can tell you that activation unlocks can sometimes result in providing proof of purchase. But if the computer was purchased with cash, and no email or name was provided, and that customer loses their receipt, they would be absolutely screwed.

As far as the privacy of your data, employees cannot change the data. If you have a repair done, they can have a temporary record that gets created with whatever information you provide. Any information tied to your Apple account needs to be edited by you. If you want to know more about what information Apple has, go to https://privacy.apple.com.

I believe in the U.S., Apple is obligated by law to hold sales records for at least 7 years, which is also close to the service eligibility of most products. (But again, this is typically a good thing.)