There are pros and cons to everything – Apple’s customer service plan for the iPhone allows virtually any handset under warranty to be serviced, simply because the phone is tied to the warranty, instead of the owner. This enables you to get your phone fixed by sending a runner instead of showing up in person at an Apple Store, but thieves have decided that this is also one of the better methods to trade in stolen iPhones, selling their replacements and making a quick buck out of the situation. In fact, cities from one end of the US to the other already report a fair number of iPhone thefts, where many thieves decide to bring in stolen handsets as though they were broken, for either a replacement or a discount on a new unit.
Robert Siciliano, a consultant for Intel’s technology security unit, says, “Apple seems to have not considered stolen devices and instead is relying on the honor system. The honor system is devised with the mindset that we are all sheep and there are no wolves. Until consumers scream loud enough about this issue, Apple probably won’t do anything about it.” I guess we can only do our best in any situation, and will just have to see this as the best solution Apple can come up with at the moment.