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iPhone SE (2016) Activation locks are stupid

Andy_2341

Andy_2341

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 2, 2024
206
161
Southeastern US
I know Apple is trying to protect users who get their devices stolen, but this is a bit too much. I’ve got an old SE1. It had been dead in a drawer needing to be restored for 3 months since I got it on eBay. It was presumably dead for a good while before that as it also needed a battery. Apple should send out checks every year asking about older devices like it, especially if they aren’t used. This is wasteful. Now I’ve got a perfectly functioning device with a new battery and I can’t use it. All because somebody forgot to remove it from their account when they upgraded.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to say that. I know it has probably been said before. If only Apple would do something…


Edit:
I realize now that Activation lock is NOT stupid. I was flustered and honestly this post shouldn’t exist. I lost $20 and learned that things are better done within the return time(duh). Hopefully someone else can learn from this. Sorry for taking everyone’s time.
 
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Andy_2341 said:
I know Apple is trying to protect users who get their devices stolen, but this is a bit too much. I’ve got an old SE1. It had been dead in a drawer needing to be restored for 3 months since I got it on eBay. It was presumably dead for a good while before that as it also needed a battery. Apple should send out checks every year asking about older devices like it, especially if they aren’t used. This is wasteful. Now I’ve got a perfectly functioning device with a new battery and I can’t use it. All because somebody forgot to remove it from their account when they upgraded.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to say that. I know it has probably been said before. If only Apple would do something…
Click to expand...
There are software tools that can bypass / remove activation lock on older, discontinued / vintage devices. Google and ye shall find.
 
The activation lock does really reduce phone theft, which was a real problem in the early days. People got mugged. Stolen iPhones were rampant until a robust system was put in place that sent the value of a stolen phone to nearly nothing,

I think Apple could improve the ability to remove activation locks on old devices. There should be a way to get a prompt, and simply confirm via an iCloud account, even if the original purchaser no longer has physical access...like your situation.

It is a long shot, but Apple will release a device if one can show proof of purchase. Typically folks don't keep records, but always worth asking.

Yes, it is a pain, but we can't return to the bad old days.
 
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Andy_2341 said:
I know Apple is trying to protect users who get their devices stolen, but this is a bit too much. I’ve got an old SE1. It had been dead in a drawer needing to be restored for 3 months since I got it on eBay. It was presumably dead for a good while before that as it also needed a battery. Apple should send out checks every year asking about older devices like it, especially if they aren’t used. This is wasteful. Now I’ve got a perfectly functioning device with a new battery and I can’t use it. All because somebody forgot to remove it from their account when they upgraded.

Sorry for the rant, I just needed to say that. I know it has probably been said before. If only Apple would do something…
Click to expand...
I'm just curious…you bought a used SE1 off eBay, waited three months to restore it and only then found out it was activation locked?

I'd think you'd have had a case with eBay to get your money back. Especially if activation lock was not mentioned. But three months?

Or did you knowingly buy it with activation lock and have only now just gotten around to trying to get around the lock?
 
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eyoungren said:
I'm just curious…you bought a used SE1 off eBay, waited three months to restore it and only then found out it was activation locked?

I'd think you'd have had a case with eBay to get your money back. Especially if activation lock was not mentioned. But three months?

Or did you knowingly buy it with activation lock and have only now just gotten around to trying to get around the lock?
Click to expand...
The lock wasn’t mentioned. It took me 3 months due to situations beyond my control.
 
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It really is a shame when a feature with good intentions end up shafting honest users.

Different, but in the same vein, I ran into a big issue a while back where I had to log into my Apple account and couldn’t. My memory is a little cloudy, but I think it was because I had to “Allow” the login (2FA method) on another Apple device that I didn’t have access to anymore. I was locked out of my account and customer service had to get involved.

I’ve since added a phone number to my account so I can do text message 2FA. But that was a real pain.
 
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v0lume4 said:
another Apple device that I didn’t have access to anymore
Click to expand...

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Use these steps to transfer information to your new device and, if applicable, remove your personal information from your old device.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

What to do before you sell, give away, trade in, or recycle your Mac - Apple Support

Reset your Mac to factory settings to prepare it for a new owner.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
 
That’s why eBay has its guarantee. Extenuating circumstances or not, the seller could have easily checked by plugging it in. Honestly, you probably bought a stolen phone, and you waited too long to do anything about it. It’s not like Apple has been secretive about activation lock; it’s a well-documented feature. Any reputable reseller would’ve tested the device before listing it.

As others have pointed out, there are tools to bypass activation lock on older devices, so use your resources. Google is your friend. Complaining about a feature that’s effectively reduced iPhone theft is pointless. The bottom line is, you didn’t bother to check the device when you got it. Even a phone with a dead battery will power on when plugged in. Sorry, but this one’s on you.
 
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Activation Lock certainly has its downsides, most notably contributing to e-waste by effectively bricking perfectly good or repairable devices that just happened to be thrown out or where someone forget to unlink before selling( It also complicate person to person sales by non technical people who can't read / follow instructions.)

That said I think that for most of people, the upside of deterring theft far outweighs the downside. While it would indeed be nice if Apple could improve the system to better handle abandoned, older, devices, cases where people forgot to unlock before selling, etc doing so in a way that wouldn't be easily manipulated by thieves is challenging (and likely to be a lot more resource intensive to run.)

As for this specific case, it sucks and I sympathize. Nonetheless, circumstances be what they may, the onus is on you as a buyer to confirm that you received what you ordered. Try reaching out to the seller and or opening a claim with PayPal if they won't respond.
 
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kitKAC said:
If you transfer one iPhone setup over to another, iOS does ask you if you want to wipe the old iPhone (which will remove Activation Lock) but it's still up to the individual to do that.
Click to expand...
It also asks to remove the activation lock if you try to Restore and Remove All Data without transferring to a new device. In fact, I'm not sure you can wipe a phone without removing the activation lock first.
 
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Seems like an eBay issue at most, not an Apple issue
Andy_2341 said:
The lock wasn’t mentioned. It took me 3 months due to situations beyond my control.
Click to expand...
Activation locks aren’t stupid, they’re an essential tool to reduce phone theft and protect users. What’s really unwise is buying a used phone off eBay and not checking if it’s activation locked for months. This delay made your situation worse.

Rather than blaming Apple for implementing a system that benefits most, perhaps the takeaway should be: “Lesson learned! check for activation locks immediately when purchasing a used device.” For an old phone that’s worth what $50, this situation may not justify such frustration or even a post, but it does underline the importance of being cautious with secondhand purchases.

Hope this experience helps others avoid the same mistake, but blaming the tool designed to protect people is misplaced.
 
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hobowankenobi said:
The activation lock does really reduce phone theft, which was a real problem in the early days. People got mugged. Stolen iPhones were rampant until a robust system was put in place that sent the value of a stolen phone to nearly nothing,

I think Apple could improve the ability to remove activation locks on old devices. There should be a way to get a prompt, and simply confirm via an iCloud account, even if the original purchaser no longer has physical access...like your situation.

It is a long shot, but Apple will release a device if one can show proof of purchase. Typically folks don't keep records, but always worth asking.

Yes, it is a pain, but we can't return to the bad old days.
Click to expand...
A little off topic but this is so incorrect.

I wish it weren't. I too assumed that Activation Lock was the final solution to the stolen phone epidemic..

However nowadays it's beyond a joke in places like London. Thousands upon thousands of phones snatched from people's hands... worse than its ever been and this is all whilst phones are so-called activation locked.

I have no idea how or why its so lucrative to steal them, but I understand many end up abroad stripped for parts.

Activation lock has not worked - at least not in the sense that it deters theft.
 
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Sorry OP, next time don’t be reckless with stuff you bought on eBay, since eBay purchase protection covers situation like this. Needless to say, reach out to the seller and hope he didn’t sell you stolen device. The owner of the original phone can still see the location and may send a swat team to raid your location.
 
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stocklen said:
A little off topic but this is so incorrect.

I wish it weren't. I too assumed that Activation Lock was the final solution to the stolen phone epidemic..

However nowadays it's beyond a joke in places like London. Thousands upon thousands of phones snatched from people's hands... worse than its ever been and this is all whilst phones are so-called activation locked.

I have no idea how or why its so lucrative to steal them, but I understand many end up abroad stripped for parts.

Activation lock has not worked - at least not in the sense that it deters theft.
Click to expand...
The fix for crime in London isn’t activation lock, it’s something else.
 
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