Apple's warranty coverage check website briefly demanded Apple ID for access [u]

For about eight hours on Tuesday morning, Apple asked visitors to checkcoverage.apple.com to enter their Apple ID for verification, where previously they just needed to enter a device's serial number or IMEI, with the change possibly making a return in the future.

The company hasn't offered an official explanation. On entering a valid Apple ID, the page displays all of a user's registered devices, their serial numbers, and whether or not a product is being covered by AppleCare+. Clicking on an item shows whether it has a valid purchase date, active telephone support, and/or service coverage.

The page also presents a history of recent incidents and repairs, including a lookup tool that asks for a Repair ID and a serial number or ZIP/postal code.

The new system is more convenient for those just checking on their own devices, but less so for people looking to investigate a second-hand purchase. In theory, it could pose a security risk for users who have compromised iCloud credentials. Hackers regularly attempt to discover, crack, and hijack Apple IDs, since they can be used to buy content from iTunes and the App Store, and/or take control of stolen devices.

AppleInsider has asked Apple for clarification of why the move was made, and has not as of yet received a response.

Update: Apple has reverted the page to its previous behavior. However, sources within Apple corporate not authorized to speak on behalf of the company acknowledged that requiring a validated user was intentional, and may return.

20 Comments

xgcmolly 2 comments · 8 Years

About 6 years ago

Any move to make people more likely to buy directly from Apple.

Soli 9981 comments · 9 Years

xgcmolly said:

Any move to make people more likely to buy directly from Apple.

How so? Checking to see if your iPhone's old battery is one of the batches with wonky voltage doesn't mean you need to buy from them. Making the price $29, instead of the usual $79(?) pretty much ensured that they'll come to Apple.

A better move if Apple wants people to buy more from them is to simply not update old devices with the latest OSes and features. All people seem to do is bitch that the new OS made things worse. I'd argue it's likely better for Apple's bottom line to ditch these people as most will simply upgrade sooner to get newer features and not have to waste resources testing older model configurations.

wood1208 2932 comments · 10 Years

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

anton zuykov 1056 comments · 9 Years

wood1208 said:

I demand from Apple to provide ONE Step master reset, clean, wipe out of device as part of "General > Reset > Erase All Content, Settings". if the iDevice is linked in any fashion to security credentials of current owner than the owner uses his/her appleid/password/passcode/whatver to execute as part of this master reset and not requiring back and forth going into Settings to sign out of iTune or turn off Find my iPhone from iCloud, sign out of account,etc. Once this step is executed, it ensures 100% guarantee that the device is completely clean without past link to any appleid ownership and ready for new setup as brand new.

Yes...because currently one has to enter credentials, like, twice?
So, you are advocating for the 50% reduction in the required number of AppleID credentials being entered, before the reset is allowed?
That is a noble cause!
Also, how many times a day you do resets for it to be so important to you to demand one click reset?

robjn 283 comments · 8 Years

To be covered by the warranty you must, under the terms, be able to provide proof of purchase - I’m not sure how you go about this if you buy a second hand device. Does anyone have experience of this?