Look - Police & other departments are limited in resources, the huge spate of smartphone theft is fairly recent and is taking an undue toll on those limited resources. To ask the tech companies (it's not only Apple) who make these products to implement *better* measures is not unreasonable.
[edit: thankfully as I was signing up & writing this post, some good points were finally made]
There is a way to disable the power button. I've been using icaughtu pro on my jailbroken iPhone since forever. Basically if you try to power off the phone it takes your picture and send it, along with your current location to my email address and any cell phone number I designate. It does this if you try any action on the phone without entering the password. Maybe apple could have something similar. You could also reassign buttons using "activator", so that powering off your device requires a combination of button presses. Same goes for resetting the phone. This will give you time to track it and in my case go get it, or for some people, tell law enforcement. There are many good reasons to jailbreak and that's one of them. I've since moved on to the galaxy s3 for my phone and now use "Androidlost" to manage my phone (it's free in Google play), I can even send commands to the phone via text. I think apple needs to loosen up a bit, and this is coming from a die hard apple fan. I still have all apple stuff for my other electronic needs
We need a National iPhone Registry. "ATFi - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobaco, Firearms and iPhones" anyone?
When a true world iPhone is reality, we'll need the UN and/or Interpol engaged.
In all seriousness, I hope law enforcement does not prioritize phone thefts up. I also don't want Apple bearing the verification costs cause that'll just get passed down to me. How much of a problem is smartphone theft? How many thefts per million?
I suggest they turn Manhattan Island into a maximum security area, build a wall around the entire thing and have it patrolled by armed guards, gunboats, helicopters.
If somebody loses an iPhone, then send in Snake Plissken to retrieve it.
I tried to use Find my iPhone the other day and it couldn't find it. I tried to call the number but the ringer was turned off. Losing your iPhone can be nerve wracking even if you are pretty sure you misplaced it inside the house. I finally found it under the bed quilt, but only after looking for it for about an hour. I'm not sure why iCloud couldn't find it.
I suggest they turn Manhattan Island into a maximum security area, build a wall around the entire thing and have it patrolled by armed guards, gunboats, helicopters.
There's no wall yet, but everything else you describe is already in place.
I think most of you are missing the point how hard would it be to be able to remotely inactivate your iPhone if someone stole it so it couldn't be used by anyone? Pretty easy I would think. My friend was brutally attacked when she tried to hang onto to her iPhone. I don't think that blazen beating would have happened if iPhones couldn't be resold. Keep in mind the cell companies don't want this either because they will lose business to all those stolen phones that are getting activated by thieves. In addition, if you're a stock holder in apple & 100,000 phones are stolen a year, that's 100,000 less phones apple can sell. & profit from. I understand where those of you that object are coming from, but if you were stomped on the head repeated for your phone wouldn't you wish it might have been stopped?
That somewhat depends on where the 100,000 stolen ones are sold: since they have to be (anyway will be) replaced by the victims buying new ones Apple does appear to profit in selling vicitms new phones. Granted the fenced ones are not Apple profit, but would those be potential Apple sales in any case?
As a further thought: Any really robust inactivation system get's hacked and turns off a few tens of millions of phones and won't that be fun?
I do think powering off requiring the phone be unlocked would be a useful thing: keep the phone trackable during those first critical hours. Poeple who don't enable password unocking have taken their chances for the seeming convenience. But a password for those who want the phone to stay on until it can be tracked would be nice.
For NYC the only thing that would probably work would be like those monster bicycle locks and chains they market for the city.... Maybe Kryptonite Locks can come up with a good "NYC iPhone Case"? Probably weight fifty pounds but hey: secure as all get out!
Need to carry it out of the house? I know a guy....
It just wouldn't feel like New York City without all the crime.
iPhone theft might be on the rise, due to the awesomeness of Apple devices, but crime is actually not that bad in NYC. It was far worse when I took a trip to a few places in Europe a while ago. That's one place where I definitely would like to be packing heat.
I suggest they turn Manhattan Island into a maximum security area, build a wall around the entire thing and have it patrolled by armed guards, gunboats, helicopters.
If somebody loses an iPhone, then send in Snake Plissken to retrieve it.
Arrgh! Now I've got the Escape From New York theme stuck in my head !
It's pretty dumb to have to use an app called "Find iPhone" to find your iPad or iPod.
I'm not sure what the technology needed to locate the device is but if it uses GPS and cellular signal in part, then it could be confusing to some people who have a non-cellular iPad and can't figure out why it doesn't work. People who choose the cellular version are probably a bit savvier about how the system works, although both my iPads have cellular and I haven't a clue how Find my iPhone actually works. In other words I haven't bothered to look it up. All I know is it didn't work the one time I needed it.
I'm not sure what the technology needed to locate the device is but if it uses GPS and cellular signal in part, then it could be confusing to some people who have a non-cellular iPad and can't figure out why it doesn't work. People who choose the cellular version are probably a bit savvier about how the system works, although both my iPads have cellular and I haven't a clue how Find my iPhone actually works. In other words I haven't bothered to look it up. All I know is it didn't work the one time I needed it.
I've only owned Wifi iPads, and though I've luckily never had a reason to use the "Find iPhone" app, it did work on the few occasions when I tested it.
Even if a Wifi only iPad were to be stolen, the "Find iPhone" app could be used, because the thief will eventually connect to a Wifi network. And even though the Wifi only iPad lacks GPS, Wifi localization seems to be pretty accurate, because when I tested it, it located the exact location of the iPad, down to the exact building that it was in.
Losing your iPhone can be nerve wracking even if you are pretty sure you misplaced it inside the house. I finally found it under the bed quilt, but only after looking for it for about an hour.
Hope you don't suffer any Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Even if a Wifi only iPad were to be stolen, the "Find iPhone" app could be used, because the thief will eventually connect to a Wifi network. And even though the Wifi only iPad lacks GPS, Wifi localization seems to be pretty accurate, because when I tested it, it located the exact location of the iPad, down to the exact building that it was in.
That was something I was wondering because when I temporarily lost my iPhone it was not connected to the WiFi because I had just returned from a trip where I had turned WiFi off to prevent it from connecting to my mobile hotspot.
Comments
Look - Police & other departments are limited in resources, the huge spate of smartphone theft is fairly recent and is taking an undue toll on those limited resources. To ask the tech companies (it's not only Apple) who make these products to implement *better* measures is not unreasonable.
[edit: thankfully as I was signing up & writing this post, some good points were finally made]
When a true world iPhone is reality, we'll need the UN and/or Interpol engaged.
In all seriousness, I hope law enforcement does not prioritize phone thefts up. I also don't want Apple bearing the verification costs cause that'll just get passed down to me. How much of a problem is smartphone theft? How many thefts per million?
If somebody loses an iPhone, then send in Snake Plissken to retrieve it.
[IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/25016/width/350/height/700[/IMG]
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
Why is it still called Find My iPhone?
What would you call it?
I tried to use Find my iPhone the other day and it couldn't find it. I tried to call the number but the ringer was turned off. Losing your iPhone can be nerve wracking even if you are pretty sure you misplaced it inside the house. I finally found it under the bed quilt, but only after looking for it for about an hour. I'm not sure why iCloud couldn't find it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
What would you call it?
Find my iOS device?
It's pretty dumb to have to use an app called "Find iPhone" to find your iPad or iPod.
Don't forget your Macs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTR
I suggest they turn Manhattan Island into a maximum security area, build a wall around the entire thing and have it patrolled by armed guards, gunboats, helicopters.
There's no wall yet, but everything else you describe is already in place.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skleiniv
I think most of you are missing the point how hard would it be to be able to remotely inactivate your iPhone if someone stole it so it couldn't be used by anyone? Pretty easy I would think. My friend was brutally attacked when she tried to hang onto to her iPhone. I don't think that blazen beating would have happened if iPhones couldn't be resold. Keep in mind the cell companies don't want this either because they will lose business to all those stolen phones that are getting activated by thieves. In addition, if you're a stock holder in apple & 100,000 phones are stolen a year, that's 100,000 less phones apple can sell. & profit from. I understand where those of you that object are coming from, but if you were stomped on the head repeated for your phone wouldn't you wish it might have been stopped?
That somewhat depends on where the 100,000 stolen ones are sold: since they have to be (anyway will be) replaced by the victims buying new ones Apple does appear to profit in selling vicitms new phones. Granted the fenced ones are not Apple profit, but would those be potential Apple sales in any case?
As a further thought: Any really robust inactivation system get's hacked and turns off a few tens of millions of phones and won't that be fun?
I do think powering off requiring the phone be unlocked would be a useful thing: keep the phone trackable during those first critical hours. Poeple who don't enable password unocking have taken their chances for the seeming convenience. But a password for those who want the phone to stay on until it can be tracked would be nice.
For NYC the only thing that would probably work would be like those monster bicycle locks and chains they market for the city.... Maybe Kryptonite Locks can come up with a good "NYC iPhone Case"? Probably weight fifty pounds but hey: secure as all get out!
Need to carry it out of the house? I know a guy....
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
Don't forget your Macs.
I apparently did forget about that.
Does that only apply to Macs on Lion or higher?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
It just wouldn't feel like New York City without all the crime.
iPhone theft might be on the rise, due to the awesomeness of Apple devices, but crime is actually not that bad in NYC. It was far worse when I took a trip to a few places in Europe a while ago. That's one place where I definitely would like to be packing heat.
(oops sorry for double-post)
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTR
I suggest they turn Manhattan Island into a maximum security area, build a wall around the entire thing and have it patrolled by armed guards, gunboats, helicopters.
If somebody loses an iPhone, then send in Snake Plissken to retrieve it.
Arrgh! Now I've got the Escape From New York theme stuck in my head !
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
What would you call it?
Find my iOS device?
It's pretty dumb to have to use an app called "Find iPhone" to find your iPad or iPod.
I'm not sure what the technology needed to locate the device is but if it uses GPS and cellular signal in part, then it could be confusing to some people who have a non-cellular iPad and can't figure out why it doesn't work. People who choose the cellular version are probably a bit savvier about how the system works, although both my iPads have cellular and I haven't a clue how Find my iPhone actually works. In other words I haven't bothered to look it up. All I know is it didn't work the one time I needed it.
Even Snake Plissken on standby?
My family lived in New York for three years. The first night we arrived, we got mugged.
It was awesome!
We could have used Snake then but, in his defence, we'd heard that he was dead.
I miss The City That Never Sleeps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
I'm not sure what the technology needed to locate the device is but if it uses GPS and cellular signal in part, then it could be confusing to some people who have a non-cellular iPad and can't figure out why it doesn't work. People who choose the cellular version are probably a bit savvier about how the system works, although both my iPads have cellular and I haven't a clue how Find my iPhone actually works. In other words I haven't bothered to look it up. All I know is it didn't work the one time I needed it.
I've only owned Wifi iPads, and though I've luckily never had a reason to use the "Find iPhone" app, it did work on the few occasions when I tested it.
Even if a Wifi only iPad were to be stolen, the "Find iPhone" app could be used, because the thief will eventually connect to a Wifi network. And even though the Wifi only iPad lacks GPS, Wifi localization seems to be pretty accurate, because when I tested it, it located the exact location of the iPad, down to the exact building that it was in.
Hope you don't suffer any Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
Even if a Wifi only iPad were to be stolen, the "Find iPhone" app could be used, because the thief will eventually connect to a Wifi network. And even though the Wifi only iPad lacks GPS, Wifi localization seems to be pretty accurate, because when I tested it, it located the exact location of the iPad, down to the exact building that it was in.
That was something I was wondering because when I temporarily lost my iPhone it was not connected to the WiFi because I had just returned from a trip where I had turned WiFi off to prevent it from connecting to my mobile hotspot.