Apple's 'Find My' Feature Helps An iPhone Owner Recover Their Stolen Phone From Walmart's 'EcoATM': Here's How You Can Save Yours

In a recent incident, an iPhone user managed to recover their stolen device from an EcoATM kiosk at Walmart Inc., thanks to Apple Inc.'s AAPL "Find My" app’s location tracking feature.

What Happened: A user posted on Reddit that their iPhone 15 was stolen at their workplace. The thief turned off the device, making it untraceable. Assuming the phone was lost for good, the user settled their old phone’s dues and bought a new one.

The next day, the “Find My” app started displaying the phone’s changing locations. Eventually, the device’s location was traced to a nearby Walmart. The user and a friend went to the store and began looking for the phone.

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The stolen iPhone was finally found in Walmart's EcoATM kiosk, which purchases used phones for cash. After contacting the local police, the user retrieved the device from the machine.

Why It Matters: This incident underscores the effectiveness of Apple Inc.’s AAPL “Find My” app, despite previous reports of it leading iPhone owners on a wild goose chase. In April 2023, multiple iPhone owners were led to a single Texas address due to alleged faulty Maps data.

The utility of the “Find My” feature extends beyond iPhones. In June 2023, Apple announced an iOS 17 update that made it easier to locate a misplaced Apple Watch using the Control Center.

How To Enable ‘Find My' On iPhone

• Open the Settings app and tap your name.
• Tap Find My, and if you want to inform your friends and family about your location, enable Share My Location.
• Now, tap and enable Find My iPhone.

You can also find your iPhone even when it's offline by enabling "Find My network."

Make sure you have enabled Location Services on your iPhone to be able to locate your device on a map.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo courtesy: Apple