Thieving scum

[Weedy]

If you know the IMEI * number of the phone, you can tell the carrier/network that it's been stolen and ask them to block it.

To find the International Mobile Equipment Identity number, dial:-

* # 0 6 #
(no spaces)

More info here and you can also report your phone stolen.

http://www.imei.org.uk/myimei/

[Jimbo]

When I had my iPhone swiped by some Russian scumbag in Moscow, I felt reasonably lucky that I hadn't been shot in the face with an AK47 and sold as bear meat in one of the local Uzbek street markets. However, as soon as I got back and tried to locate it on the 'Find My IPhone' software, it had of course already been cracked open and the sim discarded. It was untraceable. Neither was it covered by my insurance, which stipulated that phones somehow don't fall under the term 'electrical items'. Since iPhones cost a lot of money, Apple should really look into building a GPS device that can synch with iPads etc into the body of the phone, making it more difficult for dirty thieving bastards to profit from nicking them.

[pauliewalnuts]

I was just about to suggest using Find My iPhone

It doesn't matter how Apple embed the gps into the phone, if the thieves rip out the sim card then that's it.

[Percy McCarthy]

If you know the IMEI * number of the phone, you can tell the carrier/network that it's been stolen and ask them to block it.

To find the International Mobile Equipment Identity number, dial:-

* # 0 6 #
(no spaces)

More info here and you can also report your phone stolen.

http://www.imei.org.uk/myimei/

Thanks mate, done already. I've also got 'find my i-phone' app tracking it, but they haven't turned it back on yet.

[eastie]

Just made a note of  my IMIE number in case it ever happens to me- thanks for the tip

[Jimbo]

I was just about to suggest using Find My iPhone

It doesn't matter how Apple embed the gps into the phone, if the thieves rip out the sim card then that's it.

I know that, but it's surely within the bounds of possibility to build a GPS tracking device into the phone, which once synced with a sim card, can then be tracked by an ipad or Mac, independently of the sim. IPhones are expensive enough to include this simple feature, surely?

[pauliewalnuts]

I was just about to suggest using Find My iPhone

It doesn't matter how Apple embed the gps into the phone, if the thieves rip out the sim card then that's it.

I know that, but it's surely within the bounds of possibility to build a GPS tracking device into the phone, which once synced with a sim card, can then be tracked by an ipad or Mac, independently of the sim. IPhones are expensive enough to include this simple feature, surely?

How does the GPS communicate the position of the phone with no data connection?

[eastie]

Hopefully this new update will help-

Congratulations on your update to iOS 7. As an iCloud user, part of your upgrade includes new features built into Find My iPhone that make it harder for anyone else to use or sell your device if it is ever lost or stolen.
With Find My iPhone turned on in iOS 7, your Apple ID  and password will always be required before anyone can:
•    Turn off Find My iPhone on your device.
•    Erase your device.
•    Reactivate and use your device.
There is nothing you need to do except to keep Find My iPhone turned on and remember your Apple ID and password. For more information, read the FAQ.

[pauliewalnuts]

Mind you, at some point in time, someone has to try the phone either with a sim in it or on a wifi network in any case. I think ios7 actually includes some new functionality to make it impossible to wipe an iphone without knowing the code to turn Find My Iphone off.

I have no idea if it works, though. Maybe when a jailbreak comes out for ios7, that'll be easy to turn off in any case.

[pauliewalnuts]

Hopefully this new update will help-

Congratulations on your update to iOS 7. As an iCloud user, part of your upgrade includes new features built into Find My iPhone that make it harder for anyone else to use or sell your device if it is ever lost or stolen.
With Find My iPhone turned on in iOS 7, your Apple ID  and password will always be required before anyone can:
•    Turn off Find My iPhone on your device.
•    Erase your device.
•    Reactivate and use your device.
There is nothing you need to do except to keep Find My iPhone turned on and remember your Apple ID and password. For more information, read the FAQ.

Ah, quote overlap, that's what I meant.

[Jimbo]

I was just about to suggest using Find My iPhone

It doesn't matter how Apple embed the gps into the phone, if the thieves rip out the sim card then that's it.

I know that, but it's surely within the bounds of possibility to build a GPS tracking device into the phone, which once synced with a sim card, can then be tracked by an ipad or Mac, independently of the sim. IPhones are expensive enough to include this simple feature, surely?

How does the GPS communicate the position of the phone with no data connection?

Er, I don't know. Perhaps as soon as the phone is linked to a wifi connection, it can then transmit its position independently of a sim, a bit like a wifi only ipad? In fact, my wifi only ipad is less nickable than my iPhone was because there's no sim to discard.

Edit: Ah, didn't see the above posts, thanks.

[pauliewalnuts]

I was just about to suggest using Find My iPhone

It doesn't matter how Apple embed the gps into the phone, if the thieves rip out the sim card then that's it.

I know that, but it's surely within the bounds of possibility to build a GPS tracking device into the phone, which once synced with a sim card, can then be tracked by an ipad or Mac, independently of the sim. IPhones are expensive enough to include this simple feature, surely?

How does the GPS communicate the position of the phone with no data connection?

Er, I don't know. Perhaps as soon as the phone is linked to a wifi connection, it can then transmit its position independently of a sim, a bit like a wifi only ipad? In fact, my wifi only ipad is less nickable than my iPhone was because there's no sim to discard.

That's what it does now.

Once it is on a network, it can tell you where it is (3g or wifi network). The problem with the old iOS was that you could nick the phone, turn it off, wipe it, and there goes the Find My iPhone functionality.

Now, though, with iOS7, you cant do that, you have to have the pass code to turn off Find My Iphone first, which makes it much harder to get around.

However, I would imagine that the tools that get used to jailbreak iphones will at some point invariably include ways to get around this as well.

[Jimbo]

Perhaps ios7 is worth installing after all then? I've been putting it off, it looks awful.

[pauliewalnuts]

I thought it looked fucking horrible the first time I saw the designs (before the launch), but have since stuck it on my iphone 4s and my wifi only ipad 2, and it is pretty good.

It is quite snappy, plus i like being able to access more functionality without having to enter my security code first - as well as take pics, you can turn wifi, bluetooth on and off, change brightness, volume, stick it in flight mode etc etc. Quite handy.

[eastie]

Perhaps ios7 is worth installing after all then? I've been putting it off, it looks awful.

I must admit i preferred the old iOS version on ipad but only updated yesterday so am still getting used to the new version.

Haven't updated iphone yet as I'm short on space and need to keep my music on as I'm going away to menorca next week - I will delete the music and update the phone when I get back.