There are a lot of scams out there involving Apple products, and it’s no different with the iPhone. This year, with the iPhone 15, Apple seems to have implemented a new security mechanism based on UV light to prove the authenticity of the device and help people not be scammed when buying an iPhone from an unknown store.
In a video published on Weibo and shared by Majin Bu on X, we can see that the iPhone 15 boxes have some labels and QR codes that only appear under UV light. These holograms help customers and even Apple identify whether that sealed box is, in fact, genuine or not.
Although this is a small detail, it can be enough to stop someone from buying an iPhone that isn’t actually new or genuine. For example, some sellers repackage used or refurbished devices as new, using fake boxes that are replicas of the original ones made by Apple. These devices are then sold at like-new prices.
It’s no surprise that Apple hasn’t mentioned anything about this, as it would make it easier for scammers to replicate these holograms – which should happen eventually. Of course, if you’re buying an iPhone from someone else or an unknown store, there are a few things you can do to check whether it’s indeed a brand-new device:
The boxes of the new iPhone 15 are equipped with a security system that displays holograms under a UV light. This is a measure introduced by Apple to recognize real boxes and prevent people from being scammed pic.twitter.com/oBhQoc5IDI
Pre-orders for the new iPhones opened last Friday, September 15, and they’ll hit stores tomorrow, September 22. According to Apple, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro will be available in 20 additional countries starting next week.
You can buy the iPhone 15 on Apple’s website or from places like Amazon.
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Filipe Espósito is a Brazilian tech Journalist who started covering Apple news on iHelp BR with some exclusive scoops — including the reveal of the new Apple Watch Series 5 models in titanium and ceramic. He joined 9to5Mac to share even more tech news around the world.