Apple blocks gray-market iPhone Duo units ahead of official sales launch
Apple has remotely blocked iPhone Duo units that bloggers and buyers obtained through unofficial channels after retailers shipped them early from their warehouses.
According to rumors, some content creators were willing to spend huge sums to get the first reviews out, paying resellers nearly 10 times the official price—up to $20 000 instead of $2000. Now these extremely expensive smartphones have turned into “bricks.”
The security mechanism activates automatically the first time the smartphone connects to the internet. Activation servers check the device’s serial number. If an activation attempt is made before the official release, the system blocks access to the smartphone. A notification appears on screen saying it cannot be activated and advising the user to contact support. The owner cannot access the home screen, open settings, launch apps, or make calls.
Presumably, these measures are intended to prevent devices from being activated early and to combat violations of supply agreements. Retailers that handed smartphones to buyers before the specified date could face fines and have their contracts with Apple terminated.
The restrictions are expected to be lifted automatically on the official sales launch date. Until then, however, device owners—even those who paid exorbitant sums for them—will be unable to bypass the block themselves or restore access by resetting the devices.
