Márton SalomváryJul 2, 2023
Found an iPhone with passcode and SIM PIN enabled, no ICE contacts, stuck in airplane mode. How should I return it to the owner? Any point in trying to contact Apple? Or the carrier?
Show threadMárton SalomváryJul 3, 2023

So I’ve tried posting to a local Facebook group, supposedly unmoderated, and my post got “declined” (whatever that means).

Tried contacting the carrier in Slovakia (4ka) but they speak no Languages (at least not their online chat).

This phone might become an expensive paperweight :(

Show threadMárton SalomváryJul 3, 2023

I talked to Apple. They explicitly will not do anything to let the owner and me find each other. IANAL but legally, only 50% of this makes sense.

The person on the phone also hinted at FindMy after I've told them the phone is in airplane mode, therefore I have some doubts about their competence.

Show threadezra 🏳️‍🌈Jul 3, 2023
@mrc airplane mode only affects cell connectivity — wifi, bluetooth, and gps all stay on while in airplane mode, so theoretically i think find my would still work
Show threadMárton SalomváryJul 3, 2023
@ezra I don't think that's true. And even if it was, there is no way to make it connect to wifi without unlocking.
Show threadezra 🏳️‍🌈Jul 3, 2023

@mrc i flew last week with airplane mode on, all those services still worked. i suppose it depends on the ios version, but i think it’s been that way for a while

true @ impossible to connect to wifi, but find my is supposed to be able to work through just bluetooth (otherwise how would airtags work) … assuming bluetooth wasn’t explicitly turned off

maybe if find my is your only option, the best thing would be to just take the phone with you wherever you go and hope the owner notices?

Show threadMárton Salomváry

@ezra Apple says you need to explicitly turn on Bluetooth in airplane mode, which I can't without unlocking it first: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204234

And this is a 1st gen SE which does not have integrated AirTag / Precision Finding.

Use Airplane Mode on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch

You can use Airplane Mode to turn off the wireless features on your device while you're flying in an airplane.

Apple Support
Jul 3, 2023 at 2:52pmWeb
Show threadezra 🏳️‍🌈Jul 3, 2023

@mrc ooooh, i probably turned on wifi/bluetooth years ago and it remembered that preference all this time later

also, lol, that doc conflicts with itself. above the bit where it says airplane mode turns off bluetooth by default, it explicitly says bluetooth stays on by default

probably 50/50 bluetooth is on, i have no idea if there’s even a way to tell