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iOS 7's 'Activation Lock' Delivers Cautious Optimism to Officials Concerned Over Mobile Device Thefts
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This only makes potential buyers weary and will think twice before buying a secondhand phone even if it is a legitimate private sale.
It doesn't prevent thefts; it prevents resale.
It doesn't prevent thefts; it prevents resale.
I expect thieves will still steal iPhones, simply because not everyone will have this turned on, and even if they do, they can probably sell your iPhone to somebody before you even realize it's missing. The person buying it will be screwed, but the thief will still get their money.
Turnaround will get faster, and street prices may get lower to accomplish that, but I expect there will still be a healthy market for these.
Turnaround will get faster, and street prices may get lower to accomplish that, but I expect there will still be a healthy market for these.
One of the best features previewed for me and the one that will probably unusually get me to early adopt.
All those who are saying "this-and-that", it is better than what we have in iOS6. It is merely an extra layer of security and peace of mind, that the thief/fence/buyer will not have an easy time with your phone.
How you lose your phone, is entirely up to you.
All those who are saying "this-and-that", it is better than what we have in iOS6. It is merely an extra layer of security and peace of mind, that the thief/fence/buyer will not have an easy time with your phone.
How you lose your phone, is entirely up to you.
It's about time
Awesome! And I'm sure it won't be hard for an owner to "de-activate" a registration/user associated with the device so that it can be resold legitimately.
Awesome! And I'm sure it won't be hard for an owner to "de-activate" a registration/user associated with the device so that it can be resold legitimately.
Here is what I think would be cool: If the phone has been locked remotely and the person tries to turn it on, using the motion sensor and everything else in the phone, it best determines when the thief is using and looking at the phone. It then takes a pic using the front camera all in the background and sends it to an email address associated with your iTunes account.
This would provide entertaining pictures for the picture thread.
This would provide entertaining pictures for the picture thread.
While there are people who are out to steal iPhones (and whatever else), I think there are a whole bunch of "other" people who merely take advantage of the situation of "finding" a lost iPhone (e.g., airline worker finding iPad in seat-back pocket and takes it home without turning it in). It is the latter scenario where they would be more likely to return it, knowing it will have no value to them. That said, the "knowing" part will take time.
Michael
Unless I'm mistaken you won't be able to do that without the Apple ID and Password.
As I understand it...
You need the Apple ID and password to remotely wipe/lock the phone if it's lost or stolen. You will need that same Apple ID and Password to unlock the device for a restore.
You also will require the Apple ID and Password to simply wipe the device and reactivate it even if the device had not yet been previously wiped or locked.
This may not be iron-clad fool-proof, but the idea is that it is a good deterrent. It's like planting really prickly bushes in front of your windows. Will it stop burglars in all cases? No. But some burglars will just move on to the next house that has no prickly bushes in front of their windows.
It seems like a good move to me. Just my two-cents.
It all depends on how Aple did this. if the 'chip" is the CPU then there are not a lot of spare A5 CPUs available except for broken phones. It is "way hard" to remove the CPU. It is not something you can do by hand easy. Even at the factory that can't install CPUs by hand. They use a robot and a reflow oven.
You can build a "write once" memory. The technology uses fuses. Basically after the data are written you use a high voltage to "blow" a fuse and disable the write circuit. Did Apple do this? We don't know.
But if the Serial number is burned into the CPU chip and put into "write once" memory then the system is fool proof.
Then if they did it this way the only reason to seal an iPhone would be the same as for sealing a car, for parts. People who repair phones would pay the thief for good un-scratched screens and cases and working home buttons and batteries. The market is small for that and the prices paid would be low.
Might only work on current phones. The rumored fingerprint sensor will prevent this from happening on future iPhones. They probably revealed this addition to the next iPhone by saying "you can enter notifications or control panel without entering your passcode", since the fingerprint sensor will replace it. That having been said, passcode might still be required on current phones.
And do what? Program a new UDID and serial number, which will never be activated by Apple anyway?
The "short this with that" thing in the post you replied to was just naive.
Michael
No if the iPhone is stolen, and the user doesn't realise it before the thief has restored the iPhone with a new IPSW, that this feature can't be used effectively.
Great news!
This is definitely a step in the right direction!
I had my iPhone 4 stolen. Put a message on the screen and erased it. But the thief never returned the phone of course...
Now I have two phones, one "base-phone" (iPhone 5) and another phone less attractive (for thieves) when I go to places that have an elevated risk of theft.
Of course there will be counter measures, but the same goes for making your house "burglar-proof". If some one want to break into your house - They will.
But with a high fence around the house a couple af trained rottweiler guard-dogs, camera surveillance as well as steel reinforced doors and steel curtains for windows - It will be cumbersome for the thieves, hopefully to the point that they will choose another house.
So, yes, this will bring down iPhone theft alot!
Not only will it be a lot of hassle for the thief - The potential customer will be worried the iPhone won't work properly.
This is definitely a step in the right direction!
I had my iPhone 4 stolen. Put a message on the screen and erased it. But the thief never returned the phone of course...
Now I have two phones, one "base-phone" (iPhone 5) and another phone less attractive (for thieves) when I go to places that have an elevated risk of theft.
Of course there will be counter measures, but the same goes for making your house "burglar-proof". If some one want to break into your house - They will.
But with a high fence around the house a couple af trained rottweiler guard-dogs, camera surveillance as well as steel reinforced doors and steel curtains for windows - It will be cumbersome for the thieves, hopefully to the point that they will choose another house.
So, yes, this will bring down iPhone theft alot!
Not only will it be a lot of hassle for the thief - The potential customer will be worried the iPhone won't work properly.
This will reduce iPhone theft but not eliminate it. Even an unactivated iPhone can be parted out.
I'd also be interested in how an iPhone can be transferred in a legitimate sale--I really doubt Apple would ignore this since they host a trade in program on their own website. If they were truly evil, they would not permit private sales and would force people to go to "authorized" buyers who would have the capability to wipe the phones for resale.
I'd also be interested in how an iPhone can be transferred in a legitimate sale--I really doubt Apple would ignore this since they host a trade in program on their own website. If they were truly evil, they would not permit private sales and would force people to go to "authorized" buyers who would have the capability to wipe the phones for resale.
And so the arms race with phone thieves begins.
The ball in the phone thieves court. They will find a way break or bypass this security. Apple will then have to come up with something more effective. Things like this tend to snowball out of proportion (think Windows activation).
I shall stick with my ugly not smartphone and not worry about it ever getting stolen. There's enough to deal with without having to worry about someone stealing a $600 device from me. And, to me being a poor man, $600 is a lot do drop on a phone.
The ball in the phone thieves court. They will find a way break or bypass this security. Apple will then have to come up with something more effective. Things like this tend to snowball out of proportion (think Windows activation).
I shall stick with my ugly not smartphone and not worry about it ever getting stolen. There's enough to deal with without having to worry about someone stealing a $600 device from me. And, to me being a poor man, $600 is a lot do drop on a phone.
to activate the phone you have to hit apple's servers
the CPU/GPU/Wifi/LTE will all have unique ID's. as well as the serial number of the phone being burned into the phone as well. all you have to do is report it in lost mode and apple will refuse to activate since at least one of these unique numbers will need to be supplied to activate the phone
there is no security chip in the phone that can be shorted
Legitimate items sold for parts are worth a fraction of their value, [Just look on ebay].
Therefore maybe not worth it for the 'discerning' thief/fence, who could turn over a better profit in another line of product.
for the benefit of the non reader
From Apples Website regarding the improved find my iPhone
When you go to purchase a phone off of Craigslist, have them deactivate the phone on their account, and you activate the phone on your account. This isn't that crazy, it's an extra step but one that legitimate buyers and sellers will be willing to go through IMO. I would have no problem doing this when I purchase a $300-$400 device or more depending on size / out of contract or whatever.
Point well noted but just because margins will be pushed down due difficulty selling the device as a whole, I can hardly believe that they will stop stealing them altogether.Well networked fences will definitely look to international gray markets for second hand parts at wholesale prices.
There are also several other points to take into consideration.
Users that have not activated find my iphone
Junkies/Thiefs that do not read MacRumors or relevant Apple stuff site
Potential buyers not reading MacRumors or relevant Apple stuff site
It will take a long time to actually consider apple devices as a no-go for fishy second hands