New Apple tool helps you avoid buying a stolen iPhone or iPad

[techbeck]

Buying a used phone from someone on Craigslist or eBay is never not sketchy, but thankfully Apple's now rolled out a tool that could keep you from paying for stolen (and useless) property. The company has launched a new website that instantly checks to see whether Activation Lock ? an anti-theft feature of iOS ? is switched on for any iPhone or iPad. It's part of iCloud, but you don't need any type of Apple account to use it. You will need to access it from a desktop browser, though; mobile Safari bizarrely isn't supported right now. That makes no sense, but oh well.

 

More...

http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/2/6889175/apple-tool-helps-you-avoid-buying-stolen-iphone-ipad

 

 

 

Every phone manufacturer needs to have a system like this.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

that's probably the smartest thing to come from Apple in a good while :D

 

in all honestly though, this is a good idea & other companies/carriers should follow suit and offer a tool like this

[Astra.Xtreme]

That's a good idea.  They should make it into an app that's available on all platforms, so anybody can run the number on the spot.

[Skiver Veteran]

Agreed with everyone here, making it easier to check this sort of thing would probably reduce phone theft by a massive margin. I'm sure like with most technology, there will be away around it but that will be something reserved for those in the know and not your everyday petty thief.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

That's a good idea.  They should make it into an app that's available on all platforms, so anybody can run the number on the spot.

It is a website. So should work on anything.

[Astra.Xtreme]

It is a website. So should work on anything.

It says a desktop browser is required.  I just tried it on Safari and Chrome on my phone and it says "browser not supported".  I also tried the "request desktop site" option and it does load, but the page isn't scaleable, so I can't get the text boxes in view. 

[dipsylalapo Supervisor]

Definitely a good idea and will stop a lot of petty thieves :)