IOS 6 Fixes Stolen IPhone IMessage Bug

Some users have reported that while on iOS 5, their iPhones were stolen, and even after remotely wiping them, the thief was still receiving iMessages intended for the owner of the device. Apparently, this was fixed in iOS 6, The Next Web reports.

This bug was first reported in late 2011, with some users claiming that their stolen iPhones could still be reached via their iMessage details, even after remotely wiping the stolen device via Apple’s Find My iPhone service.

It was believed that as long as the original SIM stayed in the stolen iPhone, iMessages for the original user’s phone number would continue to be delivered, even after a remote wipe.

A source familiar with the matter told TNW that Apple is using a variety of methods to ensure that this does not occur, including event-based disabling of iMessage for devices that have been reported as stolen.

Under iOS 6, an iPhone that is reported stolen can disable the use of a new SIM card with iMessage, and Apple’s push services will force password re-entry said device as well.

Did you (or a friend) have a stolen iOS device under iOS 5 or iOS 6?

Let us know how it turned out in the comments!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *