My iPhone was recently stolen (ah, such a terrible feeling!) and when I replaced it, I started researching what to do on my new one to prevent/deal with losing or having it stolen.
1. Replacement Costs
Check with your homeowner’s insurance agent to see if you are covered in the case of loss or theft. Thankfully, my insurance did cover the full cost of replacement. If you originally purchased your phone in conjunction with signing a new phone service agreement, you may be shocked to see how much it costs if you don’t renew or extend your agreement! Only a year had gone by since I signed my original agreement with my phone provider, so I wasn’t eligible for a new phone yet.
If your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover it, check with your phone provider to see if they offer insurance. As with all insurances, you have to weigh the cost of the insurance against the replacement cost and consider the likelihood that your phone may be lost or stolen. Policies like this may also cover breakage.
2. Finding a Lost Phone
iTunes offers a service called MobileMe that can track your iPhone. But the cost wasn’t in my budget. Now there is a new FREE app called, “Find my iPhone“!
Photo courtesy of Find My iPhone
Features of Find My iPhone include:
FEATURES
• Locate your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch on a map
• Send a message and optionally play a sound for two minutes at full volume (even if your device is set to silent)
Originally when I thought my phone was lost (not stolen), I was trying everything I could think of to get it to make a sound. I love that you can have it play a sound for 2 minutes!
To use Find My iPhone, you install it on your own phone first. Then, if your phone is lost your stolen, you install and open it on another device and sign in with your Apple ID.
3. After It’s Lost
If you can’t find it after seeing it on a map and having it play a sound, or discover that it was stolen, now you have to worry about the data on your phone! I could tell my phone had been stolen because my service provider showed that the phone had been used long after the last time I had seen it.
The Find My iPhone app has features that allow you to:
• Remotely set a passcode lock on your device, or lock it using your existing passcode
• Remotely wipe your device to permanently erase all of your personal data
Cost of Find My iPhone? FREE! Cost of Peace of mind? Priceless!
Disclosure:Â I have no connection with Apple (would love one though!), iPhone, Find my iPhone or any phone service provider (again, call me people!).
Great info! I will have to pass this on to hubby for his Iphone!
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My Hubby has used the Find My iPhone app a few times for his iPod. It works immediately and we can stop searching. LOL Our toddler loves to play with it, and leave it in random places!
Ashley recently posted..Our Summer Vacation
We downloaded “Where is my iPod” to hubby’s phone but never activated it. It took us a week to find his iPod which he had left in in lunch box and put away in the cupboard lol. This is such a useful post!
Janice recently posted..Dragon Berry Punch
Very helpful post! Sorry about your phone. :(
That is helpful information for someone that loses their iphone and how to do preventative measures. Great post!
Becky Willis recently posted..I Have Come to Realize
wow thanks. i just thought to gps my phone but this is so much better.
wow Nice Post and Helpful in information for someone loses their Iphone.