iPhone 17 Launch Day Hits a Snag with Apple’s Security Feature

The launch of the iPhone 17 should have been a day of celebration for Apple fans, but instead, one of the company’s most praised security features unexpectedly turned into a source of chaos.

Crowds gathered at Apple’s iconic 5th Avenue store in New York early in the morning, eager to get their hands on the latest flagship. Yet, many were blindsided by a frustrating one-hour delay when attempting to trade in their older devices, thanks to Apple’s strict Stolen Device Protection protocol.

For context, this feature was rolled out earlier this year with iOS 17.3, and its main purpose is to protect users against theft and unauthorized access. It essentially puts up a barrier by requiring a mandatory one-hour delay before certain critical account changes – such as disabling Find My iPhone – can be finalized if you’re not at a recognized trusted location, like your home or office. This extra time is meant to deter thieves who may try to quickly strip away account protections after stealing a device.

On paper, it’s a powerful safeguard. But in practice, on launch day, it became a major headache. Because trade-ins require users to disable Find My before handing over their old iPhone, and Apple Stores are not automatically flagged as trusted locations, the timer was triggered. The result? Long queues of would-be buyers stuck waiting an extra hour in an already packed store environment. Reports from customers in New York and other busy Apple Store hubs described the atmosphere as tense and exasperated, with some shoppers comparing the experience to “standing in line at the DMV on steroids.”

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to sidestep the issue if you know ahead of time. The most reliable fix is to disable Find My from home, while you’re still in a trusted location, before heading out to the store. A quick toggle in the Settings app ensures you can breeze through the trade-in process without the dreaded timer. And for those who discover the problem only once they’ve arrived at the Apple Store, there’s a workaround: by opening the Find My app, selecting the device, and choosing “Remove,” users can confirm with their Apple ID credentials and proceed without waiting an hour. It’s not entirely seamless, but it avoids standing idle.

This clash between security and convenience highlights one of Apple’s long-standing dilemmas. The company has consistently prioritized user safety and privacy – even when it comes at the cost of customer convenience. Stolen Device Protection does exactly what it’s meant to do, but it also illustrates that software safeguards don’t always align smoothly with real-world scenarios, especially during high-profile product launches where efficiency matters most. For Apple, which prides itself on its famously polished customer experience, this hiccup stands out as a miscalculation.

Still, experts note that the feature itself remains a vital addition. In an era of rising smartphone theft, especially in major cities, having a mandatory delay makes stolen iPhones far less attractive to criminals. Security specialists often argue that the best defenses are the ones that feel invisible until they’re needed. The irony here is that the feature worked exactly as designed, just in a context where it created unnecessary friction for legitimate users.

For those excited to unbox their iPhone 17 today, the takeaway is simple: preparation is everything. By taking a moment to disable Find My before leaving home, you save yourself from standing in a jam-packed Apple Store wondering why your new purchase is stuck in limbo. Launch day hiccups are nothing new, but this one underscores the delicate balancing act between offering top-tier security and ensuring the smooth, luxurious experience Apple buyers expect.

Looking ahead, Apple may need to refine how Stolen Device Protection interacts with official trade-in processes. Perhaps the company could whitelist its own stores as trusted locations or implement a faster verification system for in-store staff. Until then, the burden is on customers to plan ahead. After all, nothing dampens the thrill of upgrading to Apple’s latest iPhone more than standing around watching the clock tick for sixty long minutes.