Apple's warranty coverage check website briefly demanded Apple ID for access [u]

AppleInsider

For about eight hours on Tuesday morning, Apple asked visitors to checkcoverage.apple.com to enter their Apple ID for verification, where previously they just needed to enter a device's serial number or IMEI, with the change possibly making a return in the future.

The company hasn't offered an official explanation. On entering a valid Apple ID, the page displays all of a user's registered devices, their serial numbers, and whether or not a product is being covered by AppleCare+. Clicking on an item shows whether it has a valid purchase date, active telephone support, and/or service coverage.

The page also presents a history of recent incidents and repairs, including a lookup tool that asks for a Repair ID and a serial number or ZIP/postal code.

The new system is more convenient for those just checking on their own devices, but less so for people looking to investigate a second-hand purchase. In theory, it could pose a security risk for users who have compromised iCloud credentials. Hackers regularly attempt to discover, crack, and hijack Apple IDs, since they can be used to buy content from iTunes and the App Store, and/or take control of stolen devices.

AppleInsider has asked Apple for clarification of why the move was made, and has not as of yet received a response.

Update: Apple has reverted the page to its previous behavior. However, sources within Apple corporate not authorized to speak on behalf of the company acknowledged that requiring a validated user was intentional, and may return.

xgcmolly

Any move to make people more likely to buy directly from Apple.

Soli

xgcmolly said:

Any move to make people more likely to buy directly from Apple.

How so? Checking to see if your iPhone's old battery is one of the batches with wonky voltage doesn't mean you need to buy from them. Making the price $29, instead of the usual $79(?) pretty much ensured that they'll come to Apple.

A better move if Apple wants people to buy more from them is to simply not update old devices with the latest OSes and features. All people seem to do is bitch that the new OS made things worse. I'd argue it's likely better for Apple's bottom line to ditch these people as most will simply upgrade sooner to get newer features and not have to waste resources testing older model configurations.

wood1208

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

anton zuykov

wood1208 said:

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

Yes...because currently one has to enter credentials, like, twice?
So, you are advocating for the 50% reduction in the required number of AppleID credentials being entered, before the reset is allowed?
That is a noble cause!
Also, how many times a day you do resets for it to be so important to you to demand one click reset?

robjn

To be covered by the warranty you must, under the terms, be able to provide proof of purchase - I’m not sure how you go about this if you buy a second hand device. Does anyone have experience of this?

randominternetperson

wood1208 said:

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

What are you going to do if your "demand" isn't met?

Rayz2016

I hav no idea why they’ve done it, but it’s a lot easier to enter an Apple ID than it is to read the miniature serial number stamped on the back of the phone. 

Maybe they’re trying to avoid servicing stolen phones. 

muthuk_vanalingam

Soli said:

xgcmolly said:

Any move to make people more likely to buy directly from Apple.

How so? Checking to see if your iPhone's old battery is one of the batches with wonky voltage doesn't mean you need to buy from them. Making the price $29, instead of the usual $79(?) pretty much ensured that they'll come to Apple.

A better move if Apple wants people to buy more from them is to simply not update old devices with the latest OSes and features. All people seem to do is bitch that the new OS made things worse. I'd argue it's likely better for Apple's bottom line to ditch these people as most will simply upgrade sooner to get newer features and not have to waste resources testing older model configurations.

most will simply upgrade sooner to get newer features - What "ground-breaking/can't live without/essential" software features that Apple has released in iOS 11 (that is not present in iOS 10.x) that an iPhone 6/6s owner would feel compelled to buy a new device which has iOS 11 instead of continuing to use it (assuming Apple did not update iPhone 6/6s to iOS 11) as long as it works?

Your theory has NO basis whatsoever, just pure speculation with no facts to backup the actual ground realities. People would continue to use "working" device irrespective of OS version. People decide to buy a new phone for "various" reasons, but OS version would be last item in the list of reasons for getting a new phone. There are really NO ground breaking features being introduced in either iOS or Android with latest releases that people can't live without that they would choose to "buy a new device" the moment the OEM stops upgrading the software in the old phones. Need proof - Just look at the monthly report published by google with details on % of active devices with various Android versions currently in use OR even the latest iOS adoption rate reports.

linkman

robjn said:

To be covered by the warranty you must, under the terms, be able to provide proof of purchase - I’m not sure how you go about this if you buy a second hand device. Does anyone have experience of this?

This is same policy as nearly anything needing warranty service from most companies. If you buy something secondhand and you want the warranty coverage then you need to obtain the original proof of purchase when you are buying that device -- otherwise you should consider it no longer under warranty. It's usually not an issue because most devices being sold by an owner are no longer within the warranty period.

asan110

robjn said:

To be covered by the warranty you must, under the terms, be able to provide proof of purchase - I’m not sure how you go about this if you buy a second hand device. Does anyone have experience of this?

In many countries terms such as this are automatically null and void, and anyway, I've received service on dozens of devices from Apple Stores in the U.S. and never had to provide any sort of proof of purchase. This feels like another big 'F-U' to enterprise users from my perspective (where devices not being registered with an Apple ID is the norm, at least for those purchased before the DEP became widely available a couple years ago).

Soli

muthuk_vanalingam said:

Soli said:

xgcmolly said:

Any move to make people more likely to buy directly from Apple.

How so? Checking to see if your iPhone's old battery is one of the batches with wonky voltage doesn't mean you need to buy from them. Making the price $29, instead of the usual $79(?) pretty much ensured that they'll come to Apple.

A better move if Apple wants people to buy more from them is to simply not update old devices with the latest OSes and features. All people seem to do is bitch that the new OS made things worse. I'd argue it's likely better for Apple's bottom line to ditch these people as most will simply upgrade sooner to get newer features and not have to waste resources testing older model configurations.

most will simply upgrade sooner to get newer features - What "ground-breaking/can't live without/essential" software features that Apple has released in iOS 11 (that is not present in iOS 10.x) that an iPhone 6/6s owner would feel compelled to buy a new device which has iOS 11 instead of continuing to use it (assuming Apple did not update iPhone 6/6s to iOS 11) as long as it works?

Your theory has NO basis whatsoever, just pure speculation with no facts to backup the actual ground realities. People would continue to use "working" device irrespective of OS version. People decide to buy a new phone for "various" reasons, but OS version would be last item in the list of reasons for getting a new phone. There are really NO ground breaking features being introduced in either iOS or Android with latest releases that people can't live without that they would choose to "buy a new device" the moment the OEM stops upgrading the software in the old phones. Need proof - Just look at the monthly report published by google with details on % of active devices with various Android versions currently in use OR even the latest iOS adoption rate reports.

1) It's not a theory. It's barely even a hypothesis. It's certainly not a statement of fact if you'll note comments like "seem to" and "I'd argue." However, you've made a very affirmative statement that people wouldn't get a new device if their device is still working and regardless of how old the OS is. That's verifiably false simply by all the trade-in programs that take "working" devices for money, credit, or upgraded iPhones.

2) There are countless websites that detail the changes with every new OS update if you'd just google it.

• https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/ios-11-news/

3) Your assertion of "ground-breaking/can't live without/essential" is an argumentative fallacy as you now want to be the arbitror of what is worthy of those titles for iOS 11. I think that smaller video and images are ground-breaking, for example, but you'd probably come back with some comment about how Android offered HEVC years ago or that this format has been around a long time which, in your eyes, makes it a humdrum feature. I'd also say that Control Center fixes the previous issue of having to make two swipes in different directions to get to audio controls and audio sources. You could say that it was fine in iOS 9, that you don't like the changes, or that Android did it first, but I find it to be a major benefit even though I can surely "live without it." In fact, I could live without nearly all groundbreaking inventions in the tech industry.

4) If you had even a rudimentary understanding of business and psychology you'd have a notion of what a positional good can do in the marketplace. But, hey, if you want to suggest that all those people that preorder an iPhone as soon as the new model goes on sale don't have "working" iPhones, well then you go right ahead.

coolfactor

No change for me, either. Serial numbers plus Captcha, and I was in. No prompt for username or password.

Maybe AppleInsider jumped the gun with their “demands” headline?

Mike Wuerthele

coolfactor said:

No change for me, either. Serial numbers plus Captcha, and I was in. No prompt for username or password.

Maybe AppleInsider jumped the gun with their “demands” headline?

Nope, it still demanded the data for about eight hours this morning. Updated the story with some new info, beyond just "reverted."

Thanks for the heads-up, guys.

ktappe

It would suck if this became permanent. Not everyone who owns an Apple device has an AppleID, nor should they have to. Further, institutions and corporations often have to check an Apple serial # for warranty status, and the people doing that aren't necessarily Apple users; they're the techs whose assigned duty is to perform hardware repairs. Demanding an Apple ID to simply check warranty status would shut these people down, leaving them unable to perform their job duties.

wood1208

randominternetperson said:

wood1208 said:

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

What are you going to do if your "demand" isn't met?

Like millions of frustrated Apple fans, show that finger and move on. Buy something else. Plenty around.

wood1208

anton zuykov said:

wood1208 said:

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

Yes...because currently one has to enter credentials, like, twice?
So, you are advocating for the 50% reduction in the required number of AppleID credentials being entered, before the reset is allowed?
That is a noble cause!
Also, how many times a day you do resets for it to be so important to you to demand one click reset?

If you think through, it is important. Whole idea of that Reset( Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings ) is once it is done, the expectation is the iDevice is wiped out clean like brand new with fresh setup. I know this because I bricked(useless) iPad for not having such mechanism in place.

Mike Wuerthele

wood1208 said:

anton zuykov said:

wood1208 said:

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

Yes...because currently one has to enter credentials, like, twice?
So, you are advocating for the 50% reduction in the required number of AppleID credentials being entered, before the reset is allowed?
That is a noble cause!
Also, how many times a day you do resets for it to be so important to you to demand one click reset?

If you think through, it is important. Whole idea of that Reset( Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings ) is once it is done, the expectation is the iDevice is wiped out clean like brand new with fresh setup. I know this because I bricked(useless) iPad for not having such mechanism in place.

I think that it requires the credential entering to prevent an unlocked device from getting erased and essentially disappearing by somebody who might have picked it up and run with it.

As far as enterprise devices go, MDM solutions can do this.

And... how did you brick a device using erase all? I think I need more info.

linkman

asan110 said:

robjn said:

To be covered by the warranty you must, under the terms, be able to provide proof of purchase - I’m not sure how you go about this if you buy a second hand device. Does anyone have experience of this?

In many countries terms such as this are automatically null and void, and anyway, I've received service on dozens of devices from Apple Stores in the U.S. and never had to provide any sort of proof of purchase.

I'd like to know how a company could fight a warranty claim if the owner doesn't need to provide a proof of purchase. Someone with even a very old item could claim that it was bought recently and the company providing warranty service could fight it only if they could prove it was bought long ago -- that's probably out of their means for most items bought at a reseller and it certainly is for non-serialized items. But yes, for newer items (like an iPhone X) that were introduced recently there shouldn't be a requirement to provide that proof for warranty service.

sedicivalvole

Mike Wuerthele said:

coolfactor said:

No change for me, either. Serial numbers plus Captcha, and I was in. No prompt for username or password.

Maybe AppleInsider jumped the gun with their “demands” headline?

Nope, it still demanded the data for about eight hours this morning. Updated the story with some new info, beyond just "reverted."

Thanks for the heads-up, guys.

They’ve been doing this on and off at least in the UK for approx 12 months. 

It seems to go through cycles.