Apple Stores get new anti-theft iPhone checker that scans sealed boxes

Apple is reportedly rolling out a new anti-theft system to retail stores that can check whether an iPhone inside a sealed box is intact without employees having to open the packaging.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has started giving retail employees a device that can scan an in-box iPhone and run diagnostics to confirm the handset is present and fully intact.

The move is designed to tackle return fraud, where customers remove devices, accessories or internal components before attempting to return the box. Until now, Apple Store staff have typically had to open returned iPhone boxes to verify the contents, which can prevent otherwise untouched stock from being resold as new.

Gurman says Apple began rolling out the new checker to stores earlier this month. The system should allow staff to inspect returns while keeping sealed boxes unopened and available to go back into inventory.

The change comes as Apple Stores handle the first wave of returns and exchanges following the launch of iPhone Duo and the company’s latest hardware releases.