Apple Rolls Out Presto Scanner to Inspect Sealed iPhone Boxes
Apple is deploying a device in its stores that runs diagnostics on iPhones inside sealed boxes, aiming to curb return fraud and cut needless inventory handling.
Apple is rolling out a new retail tool that can check an iPhone without opening its box. According to reports, the inspection devices began arriving at Apple stores earlier in October 2026 and are now becoming operational. The aim is to tackle return fraud and reduce wasted inventory.
Some buyers reportedly remove accessories, strip components or keep the phone itself before returning the packaging, sometimes selling the parts through aftermarket channels. To catch this, employees have been opening even sealed boxes to verify the contents. That can leave an otherwise sellable product needing extra processing before it can be sold as new.
Built on Presto
The new scanner is based on Presto, Apple's existing system for preparing iPhones inside their packaging. Presto machines can activate phones in sealed boxes, install software wirelessly and switch them off again, so customers get a device with the latest software already installed. A separate report says Apple has also started installing Duo-specific Presto machines. Those machines personalize the first setup screen, showing the customer's name after the familiar "Hello" greeting, a feature showcased with the iPhone Duo launch.
The inspection tool extends the approach to checking whether a device is intact. Staff can run diagnostics without disturbing the packaging, which also preserves the box's condition for products meant to be sold as new.
What is still unknown
Apple has not publicly detailed the tool's full technical capabilities or which faults it can detect. The technology is therefore no guarantee that every sealed box is genuine or that every kind of tampering will be caught.
For customers, the most immediate benefit is likely better inventory management and fewer delays from manual checks. For Apple, it could help flag suspicious returns while avoiding unnecessary handling of legitimate ones. The reported deployment is limited to Apple stores for now, and it is unclear whether the company will expand the system or bring similar checks to other products.
