Apple introduces a new diagnostic tool for iPhone, iPad

Apple introduced a Zombie Check tool nearly two years back to put an end to a ring of scammers who would steal or buy iPhones, swap valuable components with the fake ones and return the damaged iPhones to receive replacement devices that they could sell again. Now, the company has introduced a more versatile version of the same diagnostic tool.

The tool called the Serial Number Reader had a Lightning connector on one end and a USB Type-A connector on the other end. Apple technicians could validate the serial number of an iPhone by connecting the end with the Lightning cable to the iPhone and the other end with the USB cable to a Mac running on macOS 10.8.5 or later.

Now, as per a report by tipster Giulio Zompetti (via MacRumours), the company has introduced a new USB-C Diagnostic Tool (UDT) that can not only scan for a device’s serial number from its logic board, but it can also be used to test power on the device.

Based on the images shared by the tipster, it appears that a technician should be able to collect all the details from an iPhones by connecting the UDT to the Hardware Diagnostic Interface (HDI) Mac using an appropriate micro USB to USB Type-C or USB Type-A cable and the other end of the setup to the target device.

Furthermore, the report says that Apple has informed its service providers that its Service Toolkit 2 diagnostic system has been updated to support HDI Serial Number Reader for the first-generation 11-inch iPad Pro and third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro using the UDT. Support for second-generation 11-inch iPad Pro models and fourth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro models should follow soon.