Why doesn't Apple do more for stolen phones

Many people have suggested using a passcode to turn off the phone. you can let Apple know here http://www.apple.com/feedback/

So many people forget their passcode to unlock the phone to use it, you can search the forum for the thousand if not more threads on that can't imagine how many will be for forgetting their passcode to turn off their phone.

this isn't an Apple issue. I got my Honda accord stolen a few years ago, I didn't call Honda to complain, why - b/c they can't do anything for you, that is what insurance is for.

Sorry that you had your phone stolen.

When in lost mode though, he/she can't use it for anything. Leaving it on does nothing for them. They are probably firing it up at night, trying a hack to get around the lost mode lock. They won't be able to. When you see it online, send it the sound. Maybe they'll get spooked and ditch it.

The concept is to render the phone useless to a thief with no market to sell it to. At some point, thieves will move on to something else. Might take a awhile as they are not always the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Feedback goes here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/

And see this: If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

If you do a search of the forum, you will find any number of posts that ask for similar action, to require a passcode to turn the device off. There are many arguments pro and con. I'm not here to debate them. I will tell you that Find My iPhone is not really intended to locate stolen devices, rather lost devices. There are a lot more ways that a thief can disable the ability to use Find My iPhone just as easily as turning it off. The real anti-theft part of the iPhone is Activation Lock and the use of a passcode to enter the device. It has resulted in the decline of iPhone thefts, however there are still amateurs that will steal devices and then try to sell them on the street to unsuspecting people, that find out too late they cannot be activated. The best way to protect yourself regarding theft is some type of insurance, and there are a number of places that provide it, as well as many credit card companies that have it for merchandise purchased with their cards. Sorry you got the device stolen, but you have done all you can. Also take the time to contact your carrier to see if they provide blacklisting of the phone, which will also provide another layer of ensuring difficulty in using the device.

bjm2308 wrote:

I had my phone stolen right out of my hand this week in NYC...You pay so much for an Iphone and all you get to do is put the phone in lost mode , but what's the point all the thief does is turn it off so you can't track it..why not have us enter a passcode to have to shut the phone back down again once in lost mode ( say when they turn it on; it won't shut off if they try to turn it off again). But anyways the thief with my phone tends to turn it on at 11 pm or 2 am or in areas like a park or near a train station or something so I have no actual home address. The whole Apple thing is a process and now I have to spend more money to buy a new phone . I've never had a phone stolen from me before until I got an Iphone smh.

So how is the thief using your iPhone? You said you put it in lost mode. Did you have a passcode or PIN to unlock it? Did you call your carrier and have the sim disabled? Your iPhone should be unusable by the thief if you did all those things. I find it disconcerting that you apparently blame Apple for your troubles.

I've never had a phone stolen from me before until I got an Iphone smh.

Thieves are not stupid, they know values.

If you have a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, your chances of being stolen are higher too.

That's why you have insurance.

Anyway, Apple has created an Activation Lock, passcode lock, and also option to wipe the iPhone if more than 10 tries attempt.

Did you enable all those?

Read here: Find My iPhone Activation Lock - Apple Support

Turning off an iPhone is part of procedure to save battery, perform diagnostic, rebooting, etc...

As been discussed many many times in this forum that it's a bad idea that one needs a passcode for that.

We not going that route again.

bjm2308 wrote:

It's not a bad idea though.. when I had my Iphone it was on all day..so if a thief has it i want it on all day so i can track it..and i put my phone in lost mode no issue there. and some thieves are stupid . The most they can do is sell it to some oblivious person because they can't get into it.. now the person that buys it will have the same issue

Sorry it is a bad idea.

Please type forgot password in the search function and see how many threads there are for that, now you want user to use a passcode to turn off their phones, imagine if they forget that.

If your screen is frozen, the main tip is to a reset hold down the home/sleep button together until you see the apple logo and then release, well you can't do that cuz now you have to enter a passcode, but you can't enter it cuz your screen is frozen.

bjm2308 wrote:

How do you forget a 4 digit passcode that you enter multiple times a day to access your phone also..thats why I have my fingerprint I.d. as well if i don't want to enter the passcode ..or how about just not have a passcode at all if someone is that forgetfull

I don't know how people forget, but it happens, like I said search the forum and you'll see.

You still need a passcode to use touch id, and still need to enter it when you restart your phone or haven't used it in 48 hours.

Not having or using a passcode leaves your device unprotected.

bjm2308 wrote:

..or how about just not have a passcode at all if someone is that forgetfull

Great idea. So you leave the house door unlock because you can forget where your keys are.

bjm2308 wrote:

Not saying that..it's some things that you just don't forget though.. If i enter something all the time like a 4 digit code in my phone and just wake up one day and forget it , that seems pretty idiotic to me

I know what you're saying, I'm surprised myself and agree with you but as razmee209 said search this forum.