iPhones much more likely to be stolen, less likely to be broken or need replacement
Figures compiled by device insurance firm ProtectCell indicate that owners of Apple's iPhone suffer fewer broken screens and other device problems requiring replacement, but are far more likely to having their products stolen.
The firm, which has sold over two million insurance policies covering phones and tablets, issued a press release noting that iPhone users are 46 percent less likely to need a replacement device for any reason, as compared to other smartphone users.
Specific to screen damage or breakage, iPhone users are 11 less likely to request repairs. That suggests that, despite a delicate appearance, iPhones either are less prone to damage or their users take better care of them (or a mix of both). The firm's press release attributed the difference to "luck."
in addition to screen breakage, liquid damage, power surge melt downs and mechanical failures, ProtectCell also covers against theft or mysterious disappearance. In that respect, iPhones lead other smartphone owners with a 65 percent greater likelihood of going missing.
Apple has targeted the well-documented attraction of thieves to its products by introducing Activation Lock, a free new feature in iOS 7 that locks device activation to a users Apple ID, ensuring that any iOS device protected by a passcode can't be stolen and resold for easy export by thieves who plan to erase and resell the device.
Both Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone lack any mechanism for similarly blocking reactivation of a stolen device by thieves, but devices using those platforms are currently much less likely to be stolen because they lack potential for easy resale.
Another fact floated by the company: replacement requests by insured tablet owners increased dramatically in 2013 over the previous year, with users being 90 percent more likely to request device replacement.
The firm, which has sold over two million insurance policies covering phones and tablets, issued a press release noting that iPhone users are 46 percent less likely to need a replacement device for any reason, as compared to other smartphone users.
Specific to screen damage or breakage, iPhone users are 11 less likely to request repairs. That suggests that, despite a delicate appearance, iPhones either are less prone to damage or their users take better care of them (or a mix of both). The firm's press release attributed the difference to "luck."
in addition to screen breakage, liquid damage, power surge melt downs and mechanical failures, ProtectCell also covers against theft or mysterious disappearance. In that respect, iPhones lead other smartphone owners with a 65 percent greater likelihood of going missing.
Apple has targeted the well-documented attraction of thieves to its products by introducing Activation Lock, a free new feature in iOS 7 that locks device activation to a users Apple ID, ensuring that any iOS device protected by a passcode can't be stolen and resold for easy export by thieves who plan to erase and resell the device.
Both Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone lack any mechanism for similarly blocking reactivation of a stolen device by thieves, but devices using those platforms are currently much less likely to be stolen because they lack potential for easy resale.
Another fact floated by the company: replacement requests by insured tablet owners increased dramatically in 2013 over the previous year, with users being 90 percent more likely to request device replacement.
Comments
Thieves can't tell if any given iPhone has "Find My iPhone" enabled, whether or not the user will resort to it, or if any of the iOS 7 security functions are enabled. Smartphone theft is a crime of opportunity, not the Brinks Job.
Looking at various Q&A forums, it appears there is a certain percentage of folks who do not enable common and free security measures.
Remember, the world is full of people who use "asdfasdf", "1111" or "1234" as passwords.
Heck, even Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer admits she doesn't even have a passcode lock on her iPhone.
If there are no security measures enabled, and the thief can turn off the phone or put it into airplane mode right away, it's almost untraceable and can be fenced overseas for a good amount of cash. There is no thriving international black market for Android handsets.
Also, even if a stolen iPhone is completely locked, it still commands decent value for parts.
More likely to be stolen? What good would that do as long as the owner had implemented basic security measures, including "Find My iPhone".
I think most iPhone users will accept that it got stolen and not bother with retrieval, even if it shows up on "Find my iPhone". I don't think the iOS security features have really settled-in yet with users, and that most users don't realize that their stolen phone cannot be wiped out without knowing their AppleID password.
Lot of ignorance out there with Joe Consumer methink.
More likely to be stolen? What good would that do as long as the owner had implemented basic security measures, including "Find My iPhone".
Find My iPhone is a good precaution against a thief getting access to your data, but since it's quite easy to block as a phone bricking service (just turn the phone off or enter Airplane mode, then wipe it before connecting to the internet) and also since lots of people don't use Find My iPhone, or password protection, it's not really much of a disincentive for a thief to steal the phone in the first place.
After two weeks, Find iPhone wasn't pinged once and we bought another iPhone. IMHO, Find iPhone and Activation Lock did little to hinder the thief after reading that they can be bypassed by jail breaking the phone.
How stupid can you possibly be? Go ruin your life somewhere we can’t see you.
Please demonstrate how to bypass Activation Lock.
Maybe they don't make claims due to better myelination; improving impulse propagation thus leading to superior fine motor coordination; which is why they have superior intellect.
The infographics never lie. Never.
They can, but it just depends. Here's a quick guid to tell if an infographic is accurate.
If they match what you want to be true then the infographics are legit. If they don't match up with your preconcieved notions then they're obviously lies.
I haven't tested any method, but a quick google finds several ways: https://www.appaddict.org/forum/index.php?/topic/2015-how-to-jailbreak-and-hacktivate-bypass-activation-lock-with-ultrabreak-on-ip4/
-murray
1) This is specifically for the iPhone 4, not the iPhone 5S you mentioned in your first post.
2) On that forum people still can't seem to make it work.
3) Since Activation Lock involves Apple's servers which is why it's tied to Find My iPhone how does this Ultrabreak get around that method.
4) I'm not saying it's impossible — like by using an invented, virtually represented IMEI instead of the one the phone actually has in HW — but with no information it seems rather suspect. Plus, I'd expect any such method that can get past Apple's server authentication for the activation would work across all devices with iOS 7, not just the iPhone 4.
I haven't tested any method, but a quick google finds several ways: https://www.appaddict.org/forum/index.php?/topic/2015-how-to-jailbreak-and-hacktivate-bypass-activation-lock-with-ultrabreak-on-ip4/
-murray
Your google-fu is fail. Everybody who tried that in that very thread you linked said it didn't work for them.
tried ultrabreak but i'm stuck on the recovery mode in the middle of the jailbreak. it says something like the software aborted the mission, something like that, so i cannot boot.
And this is on a much older model, which I doubt Apple paid that much attention to when they developed Activation Lock. I suspect the 5s and 5c would be even tougher.
Maybe I'm overly cynical, but I suspect the supposed "jailbreak" is just malware that somebody is foisting on unsuspecting people who want some way to unlock a cell phone that they don't have activation credentials for, be it stolen or just forgotten.
Again, I have no idea if it's possible, but here's another forum: http://www.sinfuliphone.com/showthread.php?t=10024803
My question is: Is there a solution or fix for this Activation Lock? And if not, where can I check for updates regarding this matter?
If it wasn't possible to bypass in the first place, how was the author able to use the iPhone 5??
The story sounds fake.
The poster probably bought a stolen iPhone from eBay/Craigslist/whatever, is trying to get that forum's participants to explain how to break the iOS 7 Apple ID lockout.
Here's the key phrase that points to an illicitly acquired device:
There are tons of this kind of "help be unlock my iPhone" threads in various online forums like Yahoo Answers, whatever.
Frankly, your account is suspicious. You join today and the first and only thread you post on is about "stolen" iPhones and how to break into them. Other forums are littered with accounts just like yours, people asking how to crack a locked iPhone in their initial and only post, and without any answers, the account is abandoned forever.
Knowing that the person who stole my iPhone can't use it is of little comfort to my empty pocket. I don't think the knowledge that stealing iPhones might be pointless has filtered through to the frontline criminal fraternity yet.
Also, after canceling the old contract at the service provider and purchasing the new iPhone, I received this email from Apple during the process:
I know I entered my iCloud password into the new phone, but I never specifically disabled Find My iPhone for the stolen device.
Bottom line, the iPhone was stolen and the protections that Apple have in place did nothing to help recover it.
I'd like to add, Apple could benefit Find My iPhone by not allowing the device to be turned off without a passcode. As mentioned earlier, the thief must have turned the phone off soon after taking it and didn't access a network for 2 weeks.