6 ms·

Thank the Lord iphones need to be "activated". That way if you steal mine you can't use it. If I wasn't interested in this kind of security I wouldn't buy an ip

by szdva 4y ago

Thank the Lord iphones need to be "activated". That way if you steal mine you can't use it. If I wasn't interested in this kind of security I wouldn't buy an iphone: everybody has that choice.

grishka 4y ago
Android also has activation lock, except it is implemented locally and you can still unlock the bootloader if you don't want that feature. You can complete the initial setup on a new device and get to the launcher all completely offline. There are also zero technical obstacles to implementing the activation lock such that you can use your own server. All that this requires is little bit of non-volatile storage that is not cleared during factory reset. Which is what modern Android devices already have.
- szdva 4y ago
  What you mean is the FRP lock and it's not local because you have to log into a Google account to complete activation of the phone. You can factory reset or change ROMs or do whatever you want and the phone will still refuse to work until you log in using the last Google account the device had.
  - grishka 4y ago
    That's not how it works. If the bootloader is unlocked, it won't work, obviously — and that's a prerequisite for flashing custom ROMs. Unlocking the bootloader on modern devices requires enabling the unlock in developer settings in the stock OS, and this requires unlocking the device.
throwaway0x7E6 4y ago
what do you consider security here? you still lose the phone - the thief isn't going to return it to you, and he will still get some money for it from a fence.
- snovv_crash 4y ago
  From an economic perspective the thief doesn't have any incentive to steal the device in the first place.
  - throwaway0x7E6 4y ago
    do you picture a mugger or a pickpocket caring about the economic perspective?
    - rosnd 4y ago
      Of course they do. Until third party repair shops created a huge market for stolen iPhone parts, stealing them was significantly less attractive than other phones.
  - rosnd 4y ago
    Well, they do. iPhones are still valuable after being parted out, although Apple has been combating this by requiring parts to be registered by them (and shamed for much of the same on HN)
    - vetinari 4y ago
      > and shamed for much of the same on HN Deservedly. If there was a normal market, or at least access to spare parts, there would be no need for donor devices.
      - rosnd 4y ago
        What does that look like? Stolen parts will always be cheaper. The warehouses full of people in Shenzhen tearing down millions and millions of stolen iDevices would still be chugging along, inserting stolen parts into the supply chain. Apple enforcing DRM on parts is very much a pro-consumer move, steadily taking us towards a world where a stolen iPhone will be worth nothing.
      - acdha 4y ago

by szdva 4y ago

Thank the Lord iphones need to be "activated". That way if you steal mine you can't use it. If I wasn't interested in this kind of security I wouldn't buy an iphone: everybody has that choice.

grishka 4y ago

Android also has activation lock, except it is implemented locally and you can still unlock the bootloader if you don't want that feature. You can complete the initial setup on a new device and get to the launcher all completely offline. There are also zero technical obstacles to implementing the activation lock such that you can use your own server. All that this requires is little bit of non-volatile storage that is not cleared during factory reset. Which is what modern Android devices already have.

szdva 4y ago
What you mean is the FRP lock and it's not local because you have to log into a Google account to complete activation of the phone. You can factory reset or change ROMs or do whatever you want and the phone will still refuse to work until you log in using the last Google account the device had.
- grishka 4y ago
  That's not how it works. If the bootloader is unlocked, it won't work, obviously — and that's a prerequisite for flashing custom ROMs. Unlocking the bootloader on modern devices requires enabling the unlock in developer settings in the stock OS, and this requires unlocking the device.

throwaway0x7E6 4y ago

what do you consider security here? you still lose the phone - the thief isn't going to return it to you, and he will still get some money for it from a fence.

snovv_crash 4y ago
From an economic perspective the thief doesn't have any incentive to steal the device in the first place.
- throwaway0x7E6 4y ago
  do you picture a mugger or a pickpocket caring about the economic perspective?
  - rosnd 4y ago
    Of course they do. Until third party repair shops created a huge market for stolen iPhone parts, stealing them was significantly less attractive than other phones.
- rosnd 4y ago
  Well, they do. iPhones are still valuable after being parted out, although Apple has been combating this by requiring parts to be registered by them (and shamed for much of the same on HN)
  - vetinari 4y ago
    > and shamed for much of the same on HN Deservedly. If there was a normal market, or at least access to spare parts, there would be no need for donor devices.
    - rosnd 4y ago
      What does that look like? Stolen parts will always be cheaper. The warehouses full of people in Shenzhen tearing down millions and millions of stolen iDevices would still be chugging along, inserting stolen parts into the supply chain. Apple enforcing DRM on parts is very much a pro-consumer move, steadily taking us towards a world where a stolen iPhone will be worth nothing.
    - acdha 4y ago