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Other Is purchasing an iCloud locked iPhone a lost cause?

TripleYoThreat

TripleYoThreat

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 28, 2017
68
47
Hi, I'm looking to purchase an iPhone strictly for social media. Snapchat, Instagram, the camera is just better. It'll only be on Wi-Fi, so I didn't care if it was blacklisted. Is there any way to circumvent the iCloud lock at all, as of 2018? I'm seeing an ad on Craigslist that offers to do it for $240. Now of course this is very hefty but I'm wondering what process even exists to do so? Maybe I can perform it on my own at a lower cost.

Edit: I've found this site with 5 methods, and they don't seem too risky, only visible downfall is that the max supported is iOS 9. Anyone used any of these before?

Also, if I purchase an iPhone that is reset, meaning it would need to be set up, does it still require SIM activation? I know the 4 and 3GS used to but idk about now. There's a good deal for one but it has a broken sim card reader. If I can just get to the home screen and use the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, that's perfect for me.

Appreciate any other suggestions.
 
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I'm going to assume that the fact that iCloud locked means lost/stolen doesn't matter to you and just try and answer the question on technical merits.

I have yet to hear anyone report that these third party iCloud lock breakers work. So, assuming they don't what you are stuck with is a device that is very early on in the activation process.

That makes it unusable. If you can't even get to the springboard how can you use the device?

As far as a SIM for activation, yes all iPhones require a SIM card for that. It doesn't have to be active, but it's got to be the right one if the device is locked. You can use any SIM card if the device is unlocked.
 
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You need a SIM card. I don't know about iCloud unlocking, could be scam. In that price range perhaps you can buy an iPhone SE.
 
I'm not happy that it's lost or stolen but that's the seller's business and I'm just trying to do the best with the cards I've been dealt. Of course if I had money I'd get a new iPhone X with service too! A step below that might be getting a regular used 7. That's costly too, so I'm looking at damaged 6S phones.

Well yeah of course bud if it doesn't work I can't reach springboard and use the device, but that's why I'm consulting the expertise on this forum.

So, let's say I get an ATT phone with a broken sim card reader, that has been reset (no iCloud lock). It cannot be setup/activated at all? That's a little bit stupid on Apple's part to require a SIM, just to use the device.
 
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TripleYoThreat said:
I'm not happy that it's lost or stolen but that's the seller's business and I'm just trying to do the best with the cards I've been dealt. Of course if I had money I'd get a new iPhone X with service too! A step below that might be getting a regular used 7. That's costly too, so I'm looking at damaged 6s phones.
Well yeah of course bud if it doesn't work I can't reach springboard and use the device, but that's why I'm consulting the expertise on this forum.

So, let's say I get an ATT phone with a broken sim card reader, that has been reset. So it cannot be setup/activated at all? That's a little bit stupid on Apple's part to require a SIM, just to use the device.
Click to expand...
Both having no SIM and iCloud lock will render the device unusable. Though you only need the SIM to activate it.
 
Paddle1 said:
Both having no SIM and iCloud lock will render the device unusable.
Click to expand...

Well separate issues, and I can easily get the SIM but is it true that a nonfunctional SIM card reader will also render the device unusable?
 
There’s no way to get away from that iCloud lock. That’s the whole point of the implementation, so that people stop stealing iPhones and to some extent it has worked.

If an iPhone is iCloud blocked then you can’t use it.

If it’s sim locked then you can potentially use it with correct SIM card , if the device is not blacklisted. There’s no other way about it.
 
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TripleYoThreat said:
Well separate issues, and I can easily get the SIM but is it true that a nonfunctional SIM card reader will also render the device unusable?
Click to expand...
Yes because there's no way to activate an iPhone without a SIM card.
sim-required-screen-iphone.png
 
akash.nu said:
There’s no way to get away from that iCloud lock. That’s the whole point of the implementation, so that people stop stealing iPhones and to some extent it has worked.

If an iPhone is iCloud blocked then you can’t use it.

If it’s sim locked then you can potentially use it with correct SIM card , if the device is not blacklisted. There’s no other way about it.
Click to expand...

Hey bro, my name's Akash too!

So if it's blacklisted and has been reset (meaning that it's at the welcome screen), then it will not reach springboard and be usable?
 
Paddle1 said:
Yes because there's no way to activate an iPhone without a SIM card.
sim-required-screen-iphone.png
Click to expand...
Holy shiz....thank you for the pic. Now what's the purpose of this from Apple's end? The phone isn't lost or stolen, or blacklisted, and it can't even be used as an iPod. All that happened is the sim card reader is broken... Smh
 
TripleYoThreat said:
Hey bro, my name's Akash too!

So if it's blacklisted and has been reset (meaning that it's at the welcome screen), then it will not reach springboard and be usable?
Click to expand...

Nope it won’t. Unless the device is unlocked and you’re using it overseas. It’ll fail activation because you still need a SIM card to activate the device.
 
BugeyeSTI said:
Latest version is basically iPhone 6 specs. Not the best but, not horrible either
Click to expand...
In that case, u/Paddle1 didn't give me bad advice at all, the SE has the 6S camera.
And actually I could purchase a clean and ready to use 6S, but I was being greedy and going for a 6S plus that was locked in someway... Maybe I can find one with a hairline crack or just say forget the OIS and buy a regular iPhone 6S
 
You're not using an iCloud locked phone.
After around 10 unsuccessful attempts with the wrong passcode and the phone is locked for good without having access to the account it is locked with.

I'll just say I have experience with the issue and leave it at that. It's a paperweight.
 
TripleYoThreat said:
In that case, u/Paddle1 didn't give me bad advice at all, the SE has the 6S camera.
And actually I could purchase a clean and ready to use 6S, but I was being greedy and going for a 6S plus that was locked in someway... Maybe I can find one with a hairline crack or just say forget the OIS and buy a regular iPhone 6S
Click to expand...
The one feature that the 6S+ has the the 6, 6S, SE and iPod touch 6th gen don’t have is optical image stabilization
 
TripleYoThreat said:
Is there any way to circumvent the iCloud lock at all...
Click to expand...
Not yet.

I'm seeing an ad on Craigslist that offers to do it for $240.

Edit: I've found this site with 5 methods, and they don't seem too risky, only visible downfall is that the max supported is iOS 9.
Click to expand...
All of these services will take your money, send you a shipping cbox and then take your locked iPhone. They then break it down and sell it for components. You will have lost the money and the device.
 
BugeyeSTI said:
The one feature that the 6S+ has the the 6, 6S, SE and iPod touch 6th gen don’t have is optical image stabilization
Click to expand...
Of course bro, I just mentioned the OIS above lol, and honestly I feel it's a league's difference. With stabilization, you get proper usage of the camera in many situations
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960design said:
Not yet.

All of these services will take your money, send you a shipping cbox and then take your locked iPhone. They then break it down and sell it for components. You will have lost the money and the device.
Click to expand...
Well it's in person so if they didn't do it, I wouldn't even pay, but anyways I'm not considering any of those services... Just wondering what methods they used such that I may do so.


Okay now here's another question. When a device is not unlocked, does it try to connect to its original carrier and ask for permission? Because I know some sites that charge $20 and unlock it, but I'm wondering how they can do that if they're not entering this IMEI into AT&T's (or whatever have you) "unlocked database" so to speak.
 
TripleYoThreat said:
I'm not happy that it's lost or stolen but that's the seller's business and I'm just trying to do the best with the cards I've been dealt. Of course if I had money I'd get a new iPhone X with service too! A step below that might be getting a regular used 7. That's costly too, so I'm looking at damaged 6S phones.

Well yeah of course bud if it doesn't work I can't reach springboard and use the device, but that's why I'm consulting the expertise on this forum.

So, let's say I get an ATT phone with a broken sim card reader, that has been reset (no iCloud lock). It cannot be setup/activated at all? That's a little bit stupid on Apple's part to require a SIM, just to use the device.
Click to expand...

Buying a stolen phone is your business too not just the seller as buying stolen property is illegal in most places (in the U.S. anyway). For a few bucks more you can find good deals on 6S and not have to worry about it.
 
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You can buy a working iPhone 6s with 32-64gb for $275-300, just a bit more than the cost to "unlock" a phone from iCloud (presuming it works).
 
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Dude it’s worthless. I bought an iPhone 6 when they were close to new for $300 it was iCloud locked I lost $300 that day. Buy a phone that is not locked or buy it and get screwed that’s your choice. If it’s locked you can’t even get into any apps or anything.
 
HallStevenson said:
You can buy a working iPhone 6s with 32-64gb for $275-300, just a bit more than the cost to "unlock" a phone from iCloud (presuming it works).
Click to expand...
Actually i found the 6S for 200 easy from swappa. And im not even considering that 240.

Also bro no illegal activity here because it could be lost and not stolen... I dont know man, I just know it's iCloud locked, nothing more
 
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