Apple iPhone is a status symbol in Asian countries, even in price-conscious India. China recently preordered two million iPhones in six hours while India is still waiting its arrival later this month. The earlier generation iPhones are available at a good discount but Apple fans are easily lured by second-hand iPhone deals. Thanks to the high resale value of the iPhones in India and other Asian countries, grey markets have its share of stolen goods.
Last year, Apple added the activation lock feature in the iOS 7 update to prevent theft of the iOS devices. This feature locks an iOS device to the user’s Apple ID. The original login credentials are required if the phone is reset or wiped clean.
Today, Apple released an iCloud powered activation lock status tool to verify lock status using IMEI (international mobile station equipment identity) or serial number. This tool can check the activation lock status of used iOS devices.
If the tool shows that the lock is on, then it is quite possible that the iOS device is stolen. In that case, the device is unusable until the original Apple ID and password is fed to turn off the lock.
Usually, local smartphone repairmen or small-scale handset resellers buy used iPhones for cheap and then sell them at a profit. These phones are sold without the bill and warranty to people looking for a pocket-friendly deal. Now, with Apple’s new tool, you can make sure you aren’t buying a used brick, and quickly check if the iPhone you are eyeing is stolen goods.
See: China can’t wait. Grey market iPhone 6 selling for $5,000 with no official release date in sight
Editing by Malavika Velayanikal
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