Why Apple’s Activation Lock Is A Big Problem To Recyclers

Apple's Activation Lock is one of the most effective security features in any smartphone, tablet or laptop device today. Some, however, see it as a huge problem, particularly for recyclers and refurbishers. Why is that?

Activation Lock has been credited for reducing the number of Apple device thefts in recent years, Cult of Mac reported. NYPD records reveal that in 2012, before Activation Lock was launched, about 14% of all crime in the Big Apple was related to iPhone theft.

That number went down after the security feature was launched. This is because Activation Lock, which requires authenticating with the actual device owner, makes it impossible for stolen iPhones to be resold in the market.

Former Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg, in a tweet, called Activation Lock a “great [Apple] feature which thwarts thieves from stealing your data and discourages them from stealing Macs.” Indeed, the security feature does its job really well. Some experts in their respective fields, however, consider Activation Lock as a problem that needs to be dealt with.

A huge problem

Craig Lloyd, from device repair site iFixit, said Activation Lock “seems like a nice way to thwart thieves, but it also causes unnecessary chaos for recyclers and refurbishers who are wading through piles of locked devices they can't reuse.” The repair expert described the situation brought about by Apple's security feature as “an environmental nightmare.” Why is that?

Activation Lock is automatically turned on when users launch the Find My app on iOS, watchOS and macOS Catalina, and links the device to its owner's Apple ID. Users will only be able to unlock their device when they are able to supply it with the associated passcode.

Apple said the feature is designed to keep a user's information and data safe in the event that their device gets stolen. No one will be able to unlock the stolen Apple device expect the person who actually owned it.

Devices that cannot be unlocked for lack of the associated Apple ID ends up being sent to recycling facilities. Peter Schindler, founder of Colorado-based electronics recycling and refurbishing company The Wireless Alliance, told iFixit that because of Activation Lock, “four to six thousand locked iPhones” are sent to his company every month for scrapping.

Activation Lock is indeed very helpful to users, especially those who lost their devices to theft, or those who keep forgetting where they put their devices. It does, however, require some responsibility on the owners' part, so that the locked devices won't have to be a waste anymore.