How an iPhone substitute led to Snapchat ban for prior proprietor’s exercise

Refurbished iPhones might be purchased from varied sellers, and so they’re additionally used for AppleCare system replacements. In regular circumstances, a tool’s prior proprietor shouldn’t have any impression in your expertise with a refurbished iPhone. However that’s not all the time the case. As one consumer has outlined, it’s attainable for a previous proprietor’s social media ban to hold over and impression a brand new system proprietor. And at present, there’s no identified repair.

Routine iPhone substitute results in shock ban

This can be a wild story, to say the least. Finn Voorhees, an app developer and blogger, has written about his latest expertise getting an iPhone substitute.

Voorhees dropped his iPhone down a flight of stairs, leading to damages that warranted a full system substitute. After getting the substitute system, he began setting it up. That’s when he hit a curious limitation.

Voorhees writes on his weblog:

After restoring from a backup and starting to log again into all my accounts, I encountered an surprising drawback. When making an attempt to log in to Snapchat, I obtained an “SS06: Gadget Banned” error message. This was stunning, as I had no points signing in on a special system. Based on Snapchat’s help documentation, the SS06 error code signifies that the system has been banned on account of abuse or repeated violations of their Neighborhood Tips. The help doc additionally acknowledged that Snapchat Assist can not unban a tool as soon as it has been banned. I started to suspect that Apple had given me a refurbished iPhone as a substitute, and the earlier proprietor had been banned for violating Snapchat’s tips.

Voorhees did some digging, drawing on his expertise as an Apple developer, and got here throughout the DeviceCheck framework. This framework served to clarify the very unlucky scenario he discovered himself in.

As Voorhees outlines, DeviceCheck lets apps test sure system information that can “persist throughout app deletions, reinstalls, manufacturing facility resets, and even system transfers between customers.” Apple gives this device primarily as a method for builders to guard towards fraud.

Snapchat help was unhelpful when Voorhees contacted them, however after speaking to Apple Assist, he was provided yet one more new substitute iPhone—barring another identified answer.

Apple Assist even informed him this “was a brand new situation they hadn’t encountered earlier than.”

Being punished for a previous consumer’s actions

The rarity of this prevalence means it’s most likely not one thing you’ll want to fear about.

Nevertheless, builders like Snapchat might rethink their use of the DeviceCheck framework—and Apple might wish to reassess how the framework capabilities within the first place.

While you get your iPhone changed by Apple, or purchase a refurbished iPhone, you need to be capable to assume it’ll work principally like new. There ought to be whole peace of thoughts about what you’re getting.

Struggling the implications for a previous proprietor’s actions is by no means what Apple desires for its prospects. It’s best to by no means be punished for another person’s app exercise. And Apple’s progress on system longevity is threatened by prospects like this.

Voorhees’ story is a uncommon one, however there’s potential for it to develop into extra commonplace over time.

Have you ever ever encountered a scenario like this? Or heard of somebody who has? Tell us within the feedback.