Apple is rolling out a new anti-theft system across its retail stores to tackle iPhone return fraud. The tool can scan a sealed iPhone box and run diagnostics on the device inside without opening the packaging.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple began shipping the devices to stores earlier this month. The company is now putting them into operation as part of a wider effort to protect inventory and reduce losses from fraudulent returns.
Store employees can use the device to scan an iPhone while it remains inside its sealed box. The system runs diagnostic checks to confirm that the handset is present, intact and functioning as expected.
The technology reportedly builds on Apple’s existing ‘Presto’ system. The tech giant already used to update iPhones inside sealed retail packaging. Apple adapted that capability to verify returned products before staff accept them back into inventory.
If the scan confirms that the iPhone and its components are intact, the sealed box can return directly to inventory. Staff no longer need to open every returned package and treat potentially sellable stock as unusable.
The move responds to a growing problem in Apple’s retail network. Some customers allegedly buy iPhones, remove the device, accessories, or internal components, and then return the box thinking that employees will not inspect it.
Until now, Apple Store staff were generally required to open returned iPhone boxes to verify their contents. That process helped detect tampering, but it also meant that genuine, unopened products could be pulled from sale and sent for further checks.
The new scanner gives employees a faster way to identify suspicious returns. It also helps Apple avoid wasting inventory that remains fully intact and suitable for resale. Apple has not publicly announced the rollout, confirmed the number of stores covered, or said whether it plans to extend the technology to other products
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