New In iOS 18: Activation Lock For iPhone Parts

Apple announced earlier this year that it would be bringing a parts Activation Lock to iPhone components and with the launch of iOS 18, that is now beginning.

The move means that a user’s iPhone and individual components are linked to their Apple ID, including their serial numbers. That means that any iPhone that is stolen cannot then be stripped down for parts because those parts won’t function correctly in another iPhone.

Stolen iPhones are often taken apart to have their parts sold and then those parts can sometimes appear as part of an iPhone repair carried out by a non-Apple authorized repair shop. Apple believes that the Activation Lock feature will help prevent this from happening.

Apple will also extend its popular Activation Lock feature to iPhone parts in order to deter stolen iPhones from being disassembled for parts. Requested by customers and law enforcement officials, the feature was designed to limit iPhone theft by blocking a lost or stolen iPhone from being reactivated. If a device under repair detects that a supported part was obtained from another device with Activation Lock or Lost Mode enabled, calibration capabilities for that part will be restricted.

We have to imagine that those making money from stolen iPhones will already be looking to find a way around the Activation Lock technology. However, it’s hoped that this feature will help reduce the number of iPhones that are stolen with the sole aim of stripping them down for parts.

(source: BetaProfiles)

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