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(Pocket-lint) – Apple will no longer repair iPhones that have been reported as lost or stolen.
That’s according to an internal company memo seen by MacRumors, at least, with both Apple Stores and Apple Authorised Service Providers now set to be alerted when they receive an iPhone model that has been reported as missing or stolen.
Anybody working on one of these devices will be instructed to decline the repair once the alert pops up from the global GSMA Device Registry database, which is a new step in the current protocol.
Right now, Apple Stores and AASPs are only able to reject a repair if Find My is active and unable to be deactivated by the customer, since this is often an indicator that the phone in question isn’t owned by the customer.
However, since Find My may also not have set up the feature for the iPhone in the first place, this reported new measure does beef up security somewhat. With it in place, it naturally becomes harder for thieves to repair and sell on a stolen iPhone.
This all follows plenty of change for those with lost or damaged iPhones, of course.
In September, the company added theft and loss protection to its UK AppleCare+ warranty, with the Apple Self Service Repair also launching back in November.
Users with Find My set up now also have the ability to locate a lost iPhone even when it’s powered off, as well.
With any luck, being able to sell on or use a stolen or lost iPhone will soon be a thing of the past, and steps like this will likely prove to be a huge step in that direction.
Writing by Conor Allison.
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