Apple (Apple) has recently been actively deploying a new proprietary hardware tool across its global Apple Store locations, aimed at aggressively cracking down on increasingly rampant iPhone return fraud and significantly reducing inventory waste and unnecessary administrative costs.
Apple uses Presto innovative technology with a new “in-box inspection” to prevent iPhone return fraud.
According to the latest report by well-known tech journalist Mark Gurman, this brand-new detection device began arriving at major Apple retail stores in early October 2026 and has officially been put into daily operation. The technology is based on Apple’s previously developed “Presto” system, which was created to solve another retail challenge.
Apple’s existing Presto machines are mainly used for “in-box updates.” When an iPhone is still sealed in its original factory packaging, these machines can wirelessly power on the phone without opening it, complete a system software update, and then shut it down again. As a result, when customers take a new phone home and unbox it, they can immediately use the latest operating system version, saving the hassle of waiting for downloads. In addition, these machines can personalize the initial setup screen, so when the iPhone is first powered on, after the familiar “Hello” greeting, it can even directly display the customer’s name.
Now Apple has successfully extended this technology beyond its original domain, giving rise to a brand-new anti-counterfeit inspection capability for Presto: it can precisely scan and check, while the packaging remains completely sealed, whether the iPhone inside is intact and whether any parts have been swapped out.
In past retail practice, some unscrupulous buyers exploited loopholes in the returns process: before applying for a return, they would secretly remove original accessories, swap internal components, or even replace the entire phone outright; sometimes they would resell these removed high-value parts through unauthorized third-party channels. To prevent such fraud, retail store employees in the past often had to personally open every sealed box and check each product’s integrity one by one. However, this traditional process creates several operational pain points:
- High processing costs.
Even if a customer makes a compliant return simply because they changed their mind, once the packaging has been opened, the product usually must go through additional inspection, repackaging, and cumbersome procedures before it can be put back on the shelf and sold as new. - Manual inspection delay
Manual unpacking inspections not only consume substantial manpower and time but also impede store operations.
The new Presto scanner perfectly solves this pain point. It can perform deep diagnostic procedures without compromising the integrity of the packaging seal. This means employees can quickly identify whether the device has been maliciously tampered with or is missing parts without having to disassemble the box.
For general consumers, the most direct benefit of this new technology lies in more efficient inventory management and a smoother service experience.
- Maintain product quality
Keeping the packaging box absolutely sealed is essential to ensuring the product circulates in “original factory-new” condition and safeguards the next buyer’s interests. - Accurately identify anomalies
When a retailer suspects that a returned iPhone has been disassembled without authorization, damaged, or had its internal components swapped, this system can act as a powerful safeguard—filtering out suspicious returns while avoiding unnecessary, cumbersome processing of legitimate returns that meet the requirements.
However, Apple has not yet disclosed all the technical details of the tool, nor has it specifically explained the range of faults and tampering it can detect. Industry insiders note that although the technology is powerful, it cannot guarantee that every sealed package is completely flawless, nor can it perfectly detect all extreme tampering methods.
Source: KOCPC Chinese