A report by MacRumors claims that Apple will now stop fixing iPhones that have been marked lost or stolen. The report, citing an internal memo, states that Apple will not repair any iPhone that has been reported missing or stolen in the GSMA Device Registry.
What is GSMA Device Registry?
According to the GSMA website, it is a global registry operated by GSMA on “behalf of the mobile industry and associated vertical sectors which allows device owners to register status designations against their devices in the event of issues such as loss, theft, fraud or to indicate that the device is subject to a payment plan. The status registered indicates recommended action to those that handle the device.”
Did Apple use to repair stolen or missing phones earlier?
Yes and no. Apple only repaired lost or stolen devices if the Find My feature was activated on it. If any user didn’t have that activated then Apple didn’t repair the iPhone. On its support page for iPhone repairs, Apple clearly states that, “If you’re unable to turn off Find My iPhone, Apple might not be able to service your device. This policy is in force to prevent unauthorised persons from servicing your device without your knowledge.”
How will this new policy help users?
The idea, according to a report by 9to5Mac, seems to be to stop stolen iPhones from being replaced with new ones in case they never had Find My enabled on the device. If Find My is enabled and the phone is locked, then Apple already doesn’t service those iPhones.
