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Apple's new iCloud tool can show if a used iPhone is stolen
The market for used iPhones is fraught with risk, because you may end up paying hundreds of dollars for a locked off device, or worse -- one that appears legit but can't make calls. However, Apple has just revealed an iCloud tool that lets you check a device's activation lock status. All you'll need is the iPhone's IMEI or serial number, and if you're the rightful owner, you'll get info on how to disable any activation locks before selling. Meanwhile, buyers will be shown how to remove the previous account (with the seller's permission). The tool will be particularly useful at sussing out "doulCi" devices, which bypass iCloud to enable activation but won't actually connect to a cell network. That'll prevent you from being fooled by a stolen or lost iPhone that appears to work, but is effectively... an iPod.
The government shouldn't regulate smartphone kill switches
Few things are worse than realizing your smartphone's been stolen. Your personal information is now in the hands of a dishonest soul, who can decide to either erase and sell the device or -- even worse -- do whatever they want with your contacts, photos and texts. If it's happened to you, you're not alone; millions of people have gone through the same nightmarish experience. The technology to deter thieves, known as "kill switches," exists, but it's up to phone makers and carriers to implement it. Most major phone companies have committed to adding kill switches to their products, and some have already begun selling phones with the tech included. A handful of state governments, like California and Minnesota, don't believe this is good enough, so they're passing bills that mandate anti-theft measures in every phone sold in those states beginning next year. This seems like a great idea, but let's take a closer look at what exactly these laws mean and if they make sense.
Minnesota beats California to the punch, signs smartphone kill-switch into law
The Governor of Minnesota just signed a bill that could change the cellphone industry forever: a mandatory kill-switch law. The bill was written as a criminal deterrent: if a stolen phone can be remotely disabled, stealing smartphones may become a less lucrative crime. A study conducted at Creighton University suggests that such a measure could save consumers upwards of $2.5 billion a year, but it could prove expensive for carriers. The law has the potential to gut profits from selling cellphone insurance, sure, but implementing a feature for a single state isn't cost effective -- Minnesota's kill-switch requirement might bring the feature to the entire nation.
iOS 7: Activation Lock secures your device in case of theft (Updated)
Find My iPhone in iOS 6 was great for locating your lost or stolen phone and for locking down your data, but it had a major flaw. A tech-savvy thief could restore the phone, remove the SIM card and walk away scot-free with your phone. Thanks to an enhancement to Find My iPhone called Activation Lock, a thief's ability to remove every trace of the previous owner from an iPhone is now limited. The stronger security offered by Activation Lock may be a deterrent for thieves looking for an easy grab-and-go sale. In fact, the deterrence improvement has drawn praise from law enforcement and encouragement from the NYPD. Activation Lock improves Find My iPhone by preventing a person from disabling Find My iPhone without knowing both the Apple ID and the account password of the original owner. The person who has the iPhone also can't restore it or reactivate it without these account credentials. They can only stare at the phone number and a custom message that asks the person with the phone to return it to its rightful owner. To use Activation Lock, you must first turn on Find My iPhone in the Settings. Open the Settings app, tap iCloud and then Find My iPhone. Make sure the slider is set to the on position (it will be green). That's all there is to activate it. The magic happens when the iPhone is lost or stolen. If your phone is missing, you can point your browser to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID and password. Click on the Find My iPhone app and then wait for iCloud to find your iPhone. When the iPhone is located, you can click on it to bring up the details. There will be an option to play a sound to help find your iPhone if it is lost nearby. You can also put your iPhone in Lost Mode, which locks the phone with a passcode you supply and displays a custom message such as "I'm Stolen" or "Bring Me Home." If you want to bring out the big guns to thwart a thief, then click on "Erase iPhone." This will clear the iPhone of your data and lock it with the Lost iPhone message mentioned above. It also locks your iPhone and prevents it from being reset. To do anything with the iPhone, the thief will have to login with your iCloud credentials. You will lose your data and may not get your iPhone back, but you can take some satisfaction that the phone will be useless to the thief. One warning, if you sell your device, remember to turn off Find My iPhone so this security feature does not get in the way of the next owner. For convenience, you can just go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. That will delete all your data and turn off Find My iPhone, too. Update: Don't see Find My iPhone Activation Lock on your device? There may be a reason for that -- if a device is being supervised through Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Apple Configurator, Activation Lock will not be enabled when a user turns on Find My iPhone. According to this Apple Knowledge Base article, enabling Activation Lock on a device that was previously supervised requires placing the device in recovery mode, and then reloading iOS 7. More details are available on the Enterprise iOS site, on Apple's page about the Find My iPhone Activation Lock, and on this page about placing a device into Recovery Mode.
Daily Update for September 19, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Apple's Activation Lock draws praise from US prosecutors and NYPD (Updated)
While some frustrated potential iOS 7 upgraders are cursing Apple this fine September day, prosecutors in San Francisco and New York are giving iOS 7 rave reviews thanks to the inclusion of Activation Lock in Apple's new mobile operating system. San Francisco DA George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a joint statement yesterday praising Apple for taking "an important first step towards ending the global epidemic of smartphone theft." Update: New York's Finest are also in favor of iOS 7, it would seem. Mike Rose visited the Operation ID booth at Apple's 5th Avenue store on Friday, where cops were encouraging buyers to register their devices; there are also NYPD flyers circulating that recommend upgrading to iOS 7 specifically for Activation Lock. AllThingsD runs it down. Flyer image via Michael Hoffman Activation Lock works with an Apple ID and Find My iPhone to ensure that a device cannot be erased or reactivated without an Apple ID password. The prosecutors urged consumers to enable device passcodes or use Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, but note that those steps alone don't keep thieves from stealing smartphones. They believe that the long-term use of Activation Lock by a majority of iPhone users will make Apple's devices less of a tasty target for thieves. The full press release from the two prosecutors is included below. Show full PR text Secure Our Smartphones Coalition Statement On Release Of Apple's iOS 7 Gascón & Schneiderman: After Months Of Pressure, Apple Responds With The World's First Attempt To Implement A Technological Solution To The Global Smartphone Theft Epidemic SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman released this joint statement following today's deployment of Apple's newest operating system, iOS 7: "After months of pressure from a global coalition of elected officials and law enforcement agencies, we are pleased that Apple is set to release a new mobile operating system that includes a theft deterrent feature called Activation Lock. This is an important first step towards ending the global epidemic of smartphone theft. "In the months ahead, it is our hope that Activation Lock will prove to be an effective deterrent to theft, and that the widespread use of this new system will end the victimization of iPhone users, as thieves learn that the devices have no value on the secondary market. We are particularly pleased that – because Activation Lock is a feature associated with Apple's new operating system as opposed to a new device – it will be available to consumers with older phone models who download the free upgrade. "While it is too early to tell if Activation Lock will be a comprehensive solution to the epidemic of 'Apple Picking' crimes that have victimized iPhone and iPad owners around the world, we believe it is a step forward and strongly urge iPhone users to download iOS 7, and most importantly, ensure they utilize both an Apple ID and Find My iPhone. We also encourage Apple to make Activation Lock a fully opt-out solution in order to guarantee widespread adoption, and strongly urge the other leading manufacturers of smartphones to quickly implement effective theft deterrents that protect their customers from violent crime." Gascón and Schneiderman also urge consumers to enable basic security features such as a password or the newly available fingerprint scanning technology on the iPhone 5S. While password and fingerprint scanning security features can help protect data on a device, they do not deter thieves from stealing smartphones. Theft deterrence for iPhone users will occur only if adoption of iOS 7, and the utilization of an Apple ID and Find My iPhone is widespread. Additionally, the success of Activation Lock is largely dependent on the failure of hackers' rumored exploits. Finally, they noted that simply downloading iOS 7 and enabling Activation Lock through the use of an Apple ID and Find My iPhone does not mean consumers are safe from potential theft. Even if Activation Lock proves effective, thieves will not react overnight. Accordingly, it is vital that consumers beare aware of their surroundings at all times, especially when using their smartphones in public places. The Secure Our Smartphones (SOS) Initiative coalition is a groundbreaking coalition of state Attorneys General, major city Mayors, District Attorneys, major city Police Chiefs, state and city Comptrollers, public safety activists and consumer advocates from around the world. This initiative is working to encourage the industry to implement meaningful solutions that will end the national epidemic of violent thefts of mobile communications devices such as smartphones and tablets. For more information on efforts by District Attorney Gascón and Attorney General Schneiderman to combat "Apple Picking," visit the San Francisco District Attorney's website and the New York State Attorney General's website.
US prosecutors praise Apple's iOS 7 Activation Lock, urge users to update
Prosecutors in New York and San Francisco have given Apple's new iOS 7 software some high praise, all thanks to a simple security measure. District Attorney George Gascón (SF) and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (NY), both part of the "Secure Our Smartphones Coalition," are "strongly urging" smartphone owners to apply the company's latest update because it now includes the Activation Lock feature by default, prompting users to set a passcode the first time they use iOS 7. Once enabled, the security feature stops thieves from reactivating a stolen phone and will require the original owner's Apple ID and password to unlock a device, even after it's been wiped. Although it's relatively minor tweak, the attorneys believe it could help to reduce mobile-related crime -- in fact they're pressuring Google, Microsoft and Samsung to do something similar (although hopefully not too similar).
SF's district attorney: iOS 7's Activation Lock offers 'clear improvements' in anti-theft tech
Smartphone thefts have been on the rise over the last several years, particularly in big cities such as New York, London and San Francisco. Last week, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced that they were going to test new anti-theft smart phone measures unveiled by Apple at WWDC. Called "Activation Lock," the feature will allow devices running iOS 7 to prevent thieves from turning off the Find My iPhone feature or wiping the device clear without first entering the user's iCloud password. The San Francisco Examiner has followed up on the district attorneys' testing and reports that Gascón said that Activation Lock has made "clear improvements" in anti-theft smartphone measures. "I'm very optimistic that they came and were willing to share their technology with us," Gascón told the SF Examiner, after testing iOS 7's Activation Lock in addition to Samsung's Lojack for Android. Though pleased with both, he noted that Microsoft and Google have yet to offer their own solutions. Gascón also said he will keep pressing the issue until all major smartphone manufacturers release similar technology. Activation Lock will ship as part of iOS 7 this fall.
State, federal governments testing Apple's anti-theft tech
With smartphone thefts ever on the rise, Apple introduced a new feature in iOS 7 called "Activation Lock" which prevents thieves from turning off the "Find my iPhone" feature without first entering a user's iCloud credentials. As an added security layer, iOS 7 also prevents thieves from wiping a device without first providing a user's Apple ID and password. The goal, of course, is to make iPhones a less appealing target for criminals. In the wake of iOS 7 unveiling, top prosecutors in San Francisco and New York expressed cautious optimism that Apple's new "Activation Lock" security feature might serve as an effective crime deterrent. Now CNET is reporting that both state and federal government agencies began testing the feature this week. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office released a statement on the testing initiative on Thursday. It reads in part: San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that the Secure Our Smartphone (S.O.S) Initiative is bringing state and federal security experts together to test the new smartphone security features recently introduced by Apple and Samsung. During a meeting today in San Francisco, technical experts – including representatives from the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC) – will be given an Apple iPhone 5 with a new anti-theft security feature known as "Activation Lock" enabled and a Samsung Galaxy s4 with a new anti-theft security feature known as "Lojack for Android" enabled. The smartphones will be treated as if they were stolen by thieves, and attempts will be made to circumvent the anti-theft features. A spokesperson told CNET that results of the testing will be released by Friday.
Lawmakers are cautiously optimistic about iOS 7's 'Activation Lock' feature
In response to an increase in iPhone thefts nationwide, and particularly in large US cities, a number of lawmakers have proposed that smartphone manufacturers include a "kill switch" on mobile phones so that stolen devices can be de-activated from afar. On Monday, Apple unveiled a new iOS 7 feature dubbed "Activation Lock" which may help in that regard. As Apple explained during its keynote yesterday, devices with Activation Lock enabled will preclude a thief from turning off the "Find my iPhone" feature without first entering in the device owner's Apple ID and password. Adding an extra layer of deterrence, even if a thief wipes a device clean, he/she will not be able to reactivate the device without the original owner's credentials. While Apple is confident that the feature will help lower the incidence of iPhone thefts, lawmakers who have been pushing for a kill switch appear to be cautiously optimistic. According to SeattlePi, the top prosecutors in San Francisco and New York are withholding judgement on this particular iOS 7 feature until they get a chance to see it used in action. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have been asking the leading wireless device makers to create a "kill switch" that would render stolen phones useless. The prosecutors said they aren't judging Apple's new activation lock feature until they can fully determine its effectiveness. ... "We are appreciative of the gesture made by Apple to address smartphone theft. We reserve judgment on the activation lock feature until we can understand its actual functionality," the prosecutors said in a joint written statement. Highlighting the prevalence of iPhone thefts in particular, and smartphone thefts in general, SeattlePi cites an FCC report which relays that one in three robberies nationwide involve a stolen mobile phone. Even more jarring, nearly 50 percent of robberies in San Francisco in 2012 involved stolen mobile devices, this according to San Francisco DA Gascon. With iOS 7 not dropping until later this fall, we'll have to wait and see if Activation Lock actually helps curb iPhone thefts. In the meantime, both Gascon and Schneiderman this Thursday will be meeting with representatives from Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung to discuss the implementation of kill switches capable of rendering stolen devices unusable.
Apple demos 'Activation Lock' security feature in iOS 7
We've heard quite a bit about iOS 7 today at WWDC -- in fact, the company made it clear there's still more to talk about. But despite having tons of new features to share, Apple set aside some time to walk through a new security utility, called Activation Lock. In essence, it is what it sounds like: if someone steals your phone and chooses to disable Find My iPhone, he won't be able to reactivate the phone. Same if they wipe the phone -- they'll be forced to sign in with your Apple ID and password, which they obviously wouldn't know. Barring extenuating circumstances (that "thief" happens to be a deranged ex-lover who knows your log-in credentials), the new feature should keep your data safe, if nothing else. But will it be a theft deterrent, as Apple hopes? That's a question we'll leave for another day. In the meantime, Activation Lock is available in beta today, and for iPhones, specifically. An iPad beta will follow in the coming weeks, with the final, public release set for this fall. Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub.
