Apple Can Now Check Returned iPhones Without Opening the Box

Apple is reportedly introducing a new way to inspect returned iPhones without opening their packaging, potentially reducing fraud and allowing more devices to be resold as new.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple has equipped retail employees with technology capable of scanning an iPhone while it remains sealed inside its box. The system can run diagnostics to verify that the device is present and its internal components are intact, addressing a growing problem involving fraudulent returns.

Gurman reports that some customers have attempted to return iPhone boxes after removing accessories, extracting internal components or taking out the entire device. Previously, Apple Store employees were generally instructed to open returned iPhone boxes and manually inspect their contents. While effective, that process could prevent otherwise unopened products from being returned directly to inventory.

The updated system allows employees to verify a device’s condition without breaking the packaging seal. Interestingly, Apple isn’t introducing entirely new hardware to accomplish this. The company is expanding the capabilities of equipment already used in its retail stores to install iOS updates on unopened iPhones.

More recently, the same technology gained the ability to add personalized greetings to the setup screens of iPhone Duo devices. Apple reportedly began rolling out the diagnostic functionality earlier this month. The change could help Apple reduce inventory losses and make returns more efficient, particularly during busy product launches.

It remains unclear whether the technology will eventually support other Apple products or how widely Apple has deployed it across Canadian Apple Stores.