Find iPhone Questions

[Herdfan]

Tonight my wife left her phone at dinner. She realized it almost immediately and we were back at the restaurant within 10 minutes. She was using Find iPhone from my phone on the way back and it could not locate it. So she send several messages and sounds, but got nothing. A search of the booth we were sitting at came up empty.

So it is probably obvious that the person that found it turned it off immediately. So my questions are:

1) Will Find iPhone continue to send Sounds and Messages so that when and if the phone is turned back on, these messages and sounds will play?

2) Will the Remote Lock command continue to be sent so that when it gets turned back on it gets the Lock command?

3) Will the above also work via WiFi? I am watching my usage with AT&T this evening and have not disabled the number yet, but I will before bed so that they can't run up calls.

Thanks.

 

[thewitt]

Yes, unless they initialize it when they power it back on so that it is never actually activated on a data network.

 

[normanbates]

Yes, unless they initialize it when they power it back on so that it is never actually activated on a data network.

Your answer isn't totally true. They can restore the handset back to factory settings and turn the 'Find iPhone' function off in the settings and carry on using it as normal.

However they will never be able to add it to their own personal iCloud account as it will still be registered to yours.

Not entirely what you wanted to hear I know but just being honest

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Also doesn't your carrier have the ability to block the phone via the IMEI number? that way it will only be useable on a wifi network, just like an iPod touch so I can't imagine it'll be worth anything to the cretins that have picked it up

 

[thewitt]

They can restore the handset back to factory settings and turn the 'Find iPhone' function off in the settings and carry on using it as normal.

Except that powering it on to restore to factory settings will connect it to the carrier network and it will be found - unless they remove the SIM card before turning it on of course...

Find my Phone really isn't meant for recovery of a stolen phone, only locating a misplaced one. It can easily be defeated.

 

[normanbates]

Except that powering it on to restore to factory settings will connect it to the carrier network and it will be found - unless they remove the SIM card before turning it on of course...

Find my Phone really isn't meant for recovery of a stolen phone, only locating a misplaced one. It can easily be defeated.

The SIM doesn't need to be in. The iPhone will function as an iPod touch without a SIM and can connect to data over WiFi. The find my iPhone will be able to pick it up yes, but only if the owner is actively logged into the app or website and is trying to locate it at that specific time

 

[Herdfan]

Well my wife has a new 4S 64GB phone, so she is happy.

I know we could have use the screen lock and that would have prevented someone from turning it off so quickly. But she does not like having the screen locked in case she is in an accident or something the responders would easily be able find contact info. Same with my daughter. I do use the screen lock as I have some confidential phone numbers and private email addresses of federal judges and company execs that I want to protect.

I wish there was a way to lock out certain functions such as turning the phone off or turning on airplane mode. This would have helped.

But they will probably have to go to screen locks.