Apple testing 'Find my iPhone' ahead of other MobileMe improvements
Apple overnight tapped its developer community to begin testing a new "Find my iPhone" feature, one of several enhancements to the company's MobileMe internet service due to arrive with this month's release of iPhone Software 3.0.
Find my iPhone
iPhone 3G S users and iPhone 3G users who install iPhone Software 3.0 when it's released on June 17th, and who also subscribe to MobileMe, will be able to use the "Find my iPhone" feature of the internet service to help locate their iPhone if its been misplaced, lost, or stolen.
The process begins by logging into me.com to view a map that shows the approximate location of the misplaced iPhone, assuming it's turned on and and can locate a GPS signal. It it’s nearby, users can force the iPhone to play a sound through the MobileMe web interface to help them locate it.
Alternatively, MobileMe can also display a message on the Home screen of the iPhone with instructions on how to return it to the owner in the event that it's been found by someone else.
Apple overnight enabled Find my iPhone for developers currently testing iPhone Software 3.0 beta. Thus far, reactions have been mixed, with one person familiar with the software saying it "works great," while another said his iPhone wasn't detected by the service.
The first screen capture below shows the MobileMe interface for Find my iPhone when an iPhone is deemed to be offline or out of GPS range. The second shows an iPhone 3G that has been successfully located with pinpoint precision on a Google-supplied satellite map. Illustrated map and hybrid views are also available. The third screenshot shows the interface for sending a custom message to the iPhone's Home Screen.
Remote Wipe
Remote Wipe is another feature for MobileMe-equiped iPhone users slated to turn up with the release of iPhone Software 3.0, one which was similarly thrust into live testing overnight.
Users who lose their iPhone and are unsuccessful in having it returned to them after displaying a custom Home Screen message can initiate a remote wipe and restore factory settings. If the iPhone is eventually recovered, users can restore their data by enabling their MobileMe account on the iPhone.
Below is a screenshot of the Remote Wipe interface:
iDisk on iPhone
Also arriving for MobileMe users with iPhone Software 3.0 will be a free iDisk app that lets them view files on their iDisk right on their iPhone. Microsoft Office or iWork ’09 documents, PDFs, video files, and more are viewable in landscape or portrait, Apple says. Users will also be able to access Public folders of other MobileMe members with a few taps.
The same app, which will be free on the App Store, will also let users share files that are too big to email. Users simply need to choose their recipients and iDisk will send out an email with a link to download the files.
About MobileMe
A year-long subscription to MobileMe costs $99 after a free trial. For more on the cloud-based internet service, see AppleInsider's six-part series Inside MobileMe.
Find my iPhone
iPhone 3G S users and iPhone 3G users who install iPhone Software 3.0 when it's released on June 17th, and who also subscribe to MobileMe, will be able to use the "Find my iPhone" feature of the internet service to help locate their iPhone if its been misplaced, lost, or stolen.
The process begins by logging into me.com to view a map that shows the approximate location of the misplaced iPhone, assuming it's turned on and and can locate a GPS signal. It it’s nearby, users can force the iPhone to play a sound through the MobileMe web interface to help them locate it.
Alternatively, MobileMe can also display a message on the Home screen of the iPhone with instructions on how to return it to the owner in the event that it's been found by someone else.
Apple overnight enabled Find my iPhone for developers currently testing iPhone Software 3.0 beta. Thus far, reactions have been mixed, with one person familiar with the software saying it "works great," while another said his iPhone wasn't detected by the service.
The first screen capture below shows the MobileMe interface for Find my iPhone when an iPhone is deemed to be offline or out of GPS range. The second shows an iPhone 3G that has been successfully located with pinpoint precision on a Google-supplied satellite map. Illustrated map and hybrid views are also available. The third screenshot shows the interface for sending a custom message to the iPhone's Home Screen.
Remote Wipe
Remote Wipe is another feature for MobileMe-equiped iPhone users slated to turn up with the release of iPhone Software 3.0, one which was similarly thrust into live testing overnight.
Users who lose their iPhone and are unsuccessful in having it returned to them after displaying a custom Home Screen message can initiate a remote wipe and restore factory settings. If the iPhone is eventually recovered, users can restore their data by enabling their MobileMe account on the iPhone.
Below is a screenshot of the Remote Wipe interface:
iDisk on iPhone
Also arriving for MobileMe users with iPhone Software 3.0 will be a free iDisk app that lets them view files on their iDisk right on their iPhone. Microsoft Office or iWork ’09 documents, PDFs, video files, and more are viewable in landscape or portrait, Apple says. Users will also be able to access Public folders of other MobileMe members with a few taps.
The same app, which will be free on the App Store, will also let users share files that are too big to email. Users simply need to choose their recipients and iDisk will send out an email with a link to download the files.
About MobileMe
A year-long subscription to MobileMe costs $99 after a free trial. For more on the cloud-based internet service, see AppleInsider's six-part series Inside MobileMe.
Comments
Because it seems like it really enhances the value proposition of Mobile Me.
Great! now I can track my cheating whore girlfriend...
Haha. This one made me laugh.
The only thing missing is a remote self destruction button if someone stole your phone!
Just tried this out. Works ridiculously good. Whoa. I really like the remote wipe feature as well.
Since you've used the new MobileMe remote wipe/find my iphone, can you do the remote wipe multiple times. The reason I ask is having lost a cell phone, it would be nice to inconvenience the person who didn't return it. Does anyone have this type of info available?
Question is does it work internationally as well. Imagine police using this to find missing person as well. What an incredible feature.
Just tried this out. Works ridiculously good. Whoa. I really like the remote wipe feature as well.
yep... just tried it myself.
This is an amazing feature of the ever-evolving Mobile Me service. Apple keeps enhancing Mobile Me thereby making it a more compelling option for iPhone and/or Mac users.
I?m surprised it took them so long to add it when it seems as if they had all the pieces available from the start.
Just tried this out. Works ridiculously good. Whoa. I really like the remote wipe feature as well.
My Find My iPhone still can?t find my iPhone despite being GPS and internet connected. I have tried turning it on and off to jump start but nothing. It worked the first time and now nothing. I tried the remote wipe to see if that somehow would work; now I have a pending remote wipe that I can?t turn off. I?m about to leave soon and may have royally FUBAR my phone for the day. The price of jumping in head first.
Is this "view iDisk files on the iPhone" thing new?
Because it seems like it really enhances the value proposition of Mobile Me.
Yes it is and a great feature, but like the iPod disk use feature you?ll have to manually disconnect the iPhone.
Great! now I can track my cheating whore girlfriend...
HAHA
Since you've used the new MobileMe remote wipe/find my iphone, can you do the remote wipe multiple times. The reason I ask is having lost a cell phone, it would be nice to inconvenience the person who didn't return it. Does anyone have this type of info available?
I actually think they should have a feature where you can "brick" the phone not just clear the data, let's seem them try to return a stolen phone to an apple store or send it in for repair.
That or just make it explode when it's used
Edit: and yes i'm fully aware of the legal ramifications of making a phone explode remotely blah blah blah .. don't be such sticks in the mud!
You can cancel the the remote wipe by holding down the Home & Sleep/Awake buttons at the same time as the iPhone/iPod starts up.
Will Find my iPhone work with more than one iPhone? If we have two in our household, how do I get them both to show up? Thanks if anyone knows.
Yes, I can see both of my iPhones.
Great! now I can track my cheating whore girlfriend...
oh shoot, now you can find out where I live.... j/k j/k
back on topic:
These features are making Mobile Me a lot more compelling for me, but not enough just yet. But I hope a lot of others will sign up! Are there usage numbers for Mobile Me anywhere?
I just tried out the remote wipe feature and found a bug.
You can cancel the the remote wipe by holding down the Home & Sleep/Awake buttons at the same time as the iPhone/iPod starts up.
GOOD CATCH!!! I hope Apple sees these posts!