Some buyers purchase an iPhone, take the contents out of the box, put something else in, seal the box, and try to return it to the store. According to Bloomberg citing journalist Mark Gurman, such schemes are sometimes used on a large scale to resell stolen parts. Previously, Apple Store staff had to open boxes and manually inspect their contents, but now Apple has begun implementing a special diagnostic device that allows an iPhone to be checked without breaking the factory packaging.

The system scans the smartphone directly inside the closed box and initiates diagnostics to confirm that the device is present and its components have not been removed. If the check passes, the box can remain sealed and the product can be returned to sale without being sent for additional processing.

According to Gurman, Apple began shipping the new equipment to stores in early October 2026, and the system is now being gradually deployed. The solution builds on the Presto technology that Apple already uses for wireless iPhone software updates without opening the box.