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The iOS 18 update enables Activation Lock for iPhone repair parts

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Sep 13, 2024, 5:32 AM

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The iOS 18 Release Candidate that Apple pushed to developers this week includes an Activation Lock for replacement parts, too. Apple introduced a dubious change to its repair scheme when it allowed used genuine parts from second-hand iPhones to be installed even by third-party shops to fix handsets earlier this year.

At the same time, however, it brought the so-called Activation Lock for displays, battery, or camera modules, connecting not only the whole phone, but the serial numbers of its main parts to the respective Apple Account.

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Thus, the Activation Lock feature that was heretofore valid only for stolen iPhones, is now active for their components as well, ostensibly to prevent disassembling stolen iPhones and selling them for parts.

"Requested by customers and law enforcement officials, the feature was designed to limit iPhone theft by blocking a lost or stolen iPhone from being reactivated," says Apple, and adds that "if a device under repair detects that a supported part was obtained from another device with Activation Lock or Lost Mode enabled, calibration capabilities for that part will be restricted."

According to BetaProfiles, Apple's parts Activation Lock is already present in iOS 18, and will be pushed to the general iPhone user on Monday with the public release of the latest iOS version.

Those who tested the Activation Lock expansion were indeed asked for the Apple Account password from the device the part was taken to unlock and verify the used component.

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The Activation Lock feature for genuine iPhone parts will be active on any iPhone 12 and up that will be used for parts, so it remains to be seen how much of a hurdle will that be for repair shops, and whether it will lower the number of iPhone thefts indeed.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.