Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

ifixit.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 144 posts

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#101

Post by j45 »

a0zU wrote: post #62
crazygringo wrote: post #5

I'm entirely on Apple's side here. It makes me very happy, as a consumer, knowing that if someone steals my phone, they can't get any value out of it. I don't want them to be able to sell it to a refurbisher for cash. And I don't want them to be able to do it with my laptop either. And for refurbishers, it's not hard to make it an obvious required step for anyone looking to sell their own legitimately-owned phone. Yo…

I understand what you're saying but the problem is that Apple can fix this and make it easy for refurbishers but difficult for thieves without much difficulty at all.

Well said, security during ownership and refurbishment after ownership have limitless need for relation.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#102

Post by j45 »

mrtksn wrote: post #13

I am a big fan of iFixit and dig their teardowns just as much as the device releases themselves but their "Companies should prioritize on ease of repair even if it makes the devices less portable and less secure" narrative flips me. I never, ever buy devices for repair purposes or to resell them without bothering to do a factory re-set. The ideal device is one that doesn't need a repair and I do not accept for my dev…

It’s fine you don’t like to take apart devices.

For others it’s part competency (d they have the skills to and part preference.

Many technologists in software included some experience in hardware, including device repair, building or servicing servers, etc.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#103

Post by soraminazuki »

shkkmo wrote: post #96
filleduchaos wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the (valid if cynical) implication is that a large number of those "trashed and recycled" phones were trashed and recycled by people who are...not the owners.

Which is why a system that allows recyclers to verify if a device was stolen and return stolen devices and get locked non-stolen devices would be good?

Or maybe recyclers should verify that the devices they get are unlocked before asking Apple to insert security backdoors.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#104

Post by jmull »

snuxoll wrote: post #25
aeturnum wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would be simple for apple to extend the system by allowing recyclers to ask apple to send a message to the previous owner of the device. This would be extremely pro-consumer, because it would allow lost devices to be returned via an official channel. It would also allow users to release their claims on hardware they meant to give away. The "solution" of just expecting the previous owner to never make a mistake is…

> It would be simple for apple to extend the system by allowing recyclers to ask apple to send a message to the previous owner of the device. This would be extremely pro-consumer, because it would allow lost devices to be returned via an official channel. It would also allow users to release their claims on hardware they meant to give away. It would also make recovery of stolen devices easier. Refurbisher has Apple c…

> I don't see the downside here

You are an honest person.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#105

Post by faitswulff »

jedberg wrote: post #100
izacus wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You can't make a security feature with a backdoor, or it's not security feature anymore. Why are you so 100% sure that there's no way that Apple could design a system to keep it secure and allow recycling? There's hundreds of ways they could design their security flow where recycling is possible.

> Why are you so 100% sure that there's no way that Apple could design a system to keep it secure and allow recycling? Math. Math tells me that is impossible. It's basic cryptography. Adding a second key that someone else has makes it inherently insecure.

I guess my point in my response to your other comment was that iCloud already has a second key.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#106

Post by FireBeyond »

threeseed wrote: post #60
retrac wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps. Thieves don't strike me as the type to be more eco-conscious than average, though. I'm betting they're mostly just thrown out. Many people can't be bothered with the hassle of trying to sell a used device.

Not the thieves themselves but buyers. Used to be very common for someone to buy an iPhone on eBay, realise it was activation locked and then see comments everywhere on how to remove it. My guess is many of those people would end up just throwing the phone away.

Hah.

I had the buyer of my stolen iPhone 8 on eBay contact me and say "Hey, it says this phone is yours - since you've probably already replaced it, can you help me unlock it so I'm not -also- getting ripped off?".

Pretty ballsy.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#107

Post by m463 »

crazygringo wrote: post #5

I'm entirely on Apple's side here. It makes me very happy, as a consumer, knowing that if someone steals my phone, they can't get any value out of it. I don't want them to be able to sell it to a refurbisher for cash. And I don't want them to be able to do it with my laptop either. And for refurbishers, it's not hard to make it an obvious required step for anyone looking to sell their own legitimately-owned phone. Yo…

I lost an ipad.

Apple does nothing, zero, nada to unite owners with lost equipment. (grumble, grumble)

Just realize they benefit from this.

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#108

Post by scarface74 »

AWildC182 wrote: post #89
eschaton wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“I don’t believe the data because of a couple anecdotes.”

Never said I don't believe the data, I just think it's irrelevant. If 10 people had their phones stolen out of 10,000 that doesn't justify draconian anti-consumer measures.

The consumer can easily deactivate the lock and sell the device. How is it anti consumer?

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#109

Post by scarface74 »

faitswulff wrote: post #37

I feel like most posters here aren't reading the full article, specifically this paragraph: > When asked what could be done, Schindler suggests Apple implement a bypass that would allow certified recyclers and refurbishers to unlock donated devices if they’re not reported lost or stolen. And Shindler says 99% of the locked devices his facility receives aren’t lost or stolen. “People don’t steal a phone to then go run…

There are plenty of reports that most SIM hijacks are done by employees of the carriers who are doing it for money not social engineering. How can low level Apple employees be more trusted?

Re: Apple’s Activation Lock Will Make It Difficult to Refurbish Macs

#110

Post by scarface74 »

protomyth wrote: post #39

Well, I'm getting a little sick of Apple locking the actual owner of the device out and then telling us to go talk to the phone company who has no clue what Apple is talking about then fax in some documents that might or might not get Apple to unlock the device. The thought of this psychosis being brought to the Mac side of the house is just painful. I can only imagine how a non-technical person feels when their phon…

How is Apple locking the owner of the phone out?
Post reply on HN