Stolen iPhones Will Be Even More Useless from iOS 18 Onwards

I have no problem with blacklisting stolen parts. What does concern me is when devices are abandoned or given away, not marked as stolen but still activation locked with no means of getting it unlocked.

Last month I reset my device to reinstall macos and selected log out of icloud and wipe. I assumed this would remove the activation lock but it did not and I had to put my password in. I've found that removing activation lock is an intentionally confusing and misleading process. This only exists to create ewaste and pad the bottom line.

Ever since Apple started rolling out stolen device protection, whenever I try to access my Apple account, for example under Settings on my iPhone, the accounts gets "locked out". Then I have to jump through all kinds of hoops, including setting a brand-new password, and verifying from another Apple device, to get it unlocked.

I am terrified that this issue, together with the extra protection, is one day going to lock me out of my phone permanently.

This is a good step. Phone snatching is a serious problem. Making stolen phones totally useless is exactly the way to go about it.

If eBikes could have a similar system, that would be great.

I do see a possible downside of being able to re-use parts from a broken iPhone. So parts that were never able to be unlinked while the phone worked.

Unless since it sounds like this is a remote database (and not something stored on the parts themselves) that maybe there could be a way to address this problem but that runs the risk of making a loophole to get around this.

Outside of that, I think doing this is great. Making a stolen device less and less valuable obviously won't stop everyone from stealing iPhones it should cut down on it happening.

I am curious about Apple's incentive to do this outside of just the above. Technically they would get less sales from people replacing their phones, but would also possibly reduce the cost of operating the "theft and loss" iPhone AppleCare+.

Doesn't this effectively kill 3rd party parts/repairs? Or salvaging dead phones for parts?

Is this gonna make more e-waste, or make repairs more expensive, or both?

I'd personally like to see phones and their parts be usable at some point again after being reported lost/stolen... Maybe something like 16 months after the fact? That way they have a chance at a second life and not just going to landfill. If a thief knows the phone is useless for more than a year it makes it a much less valuable item.

As long as there is no incentive for Apple to use this feature to prevent legit recycling, that would be great.

For example, if someone sells an old device, after someone repairs a device with the sold/old component, there should be a 30-60 day grace period where the original owner is required to actively prevent the repair if the part was stolen. Otherwise it would automatically be allowed to be used.

Let's fix something:

> prevent the use of parts from stolen, lost or simply discarded and recycled devices

There!

@dang Let's maybe replace the URL with the original source, buried in a tiny link at the end?

https://9to5mac.com/2024/09/12/apple-activation-lock-iphone-...

Just remember to never remove the stolen iPhone from Find My, the thieves will try everything to convince you to do so.

If a thief grabs a phone from someone’s hand while authenticated, can’t they then just make it theirs by immediately resetting the password pin and Face ID?

Is this such a widespread problem that warrants this excessive action? I just don't buy the statistics about phone theft found online.

Don't think they are doing it for you. This improves their bottom line.

And non-stolen iPhones. /s ;-)