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0 pointsfilleduchaos6y ago0 comments

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.

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shkkmo6y ago

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?

soraminazuki6y ago

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

shkkmo6y ago

How would that help people whose devices were stolen? What would be the "backdoor" of allowing recyclers to prompt users to remotely unlock or authorize apple to issue a signed unlocking code for that particular device?

Based on the anecdotal commentary, it seems like many recyclers and refurbishers do attempt to educate users that devices should be unlocked. It also seems like this doesn't always happen for sundry reasons so there is still a lot of waste.

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retrac6y ago

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.

threeseed6y ago

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.

FireBeyond6y ago

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.

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aroch6y ago

They "recycle" them by going to Walmart and putting them into a recycling kiosk like [1] and get cash/gift cards instantly. They're not recycling so much as fencing....

[1]: https://us.ecoatm.com

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

shkkmo6y ago

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?

soraminazuki6y ago

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

shkkmo6y ago

1 more reply

retrac6y ago

threeseed6y ago

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.

FireBeyond6y ago

Hah.

Pretty ballsy.

1 more reply

aroch6y ago

They "recycle" them by going to Walmart and putting them into a recycling kiosk like [1] and get cash/gift cards instantly. They're not recycling so much as fencing....

[1]: https://us.ecoatm.com

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse