Apple would like to extend the serial numbers of the iPhone, Watch, Mac, etc.
Soon we will have to update the software of various machinery and equipment of the companies that collaborate with Apple because will change the serial numbers of the repair parts, of spare parts. The indiscretion comes from colleagues at macrumors.com who were able to read the internal note sent by Apple to the partners to inform them of the news, therefore of the need to update the machines to work correctly with the new serial numbers.
The document signed by Apple explains that the current 17-digit serial numbers from October 1, 2022 will be replaced by slightly longer codes, 18-digit. In all likelihood, the Apple will not intervene on existing codes, but will mark the components that will be shipped with 18-digit codes from October onwards, therefore those for the new generations of iPhone, Mac, iPad, Watch and so on. The change will come shortly after another change of approach, the one for which it was decided to randomize the serial numbers (the news is from 2020, but it became operational in May 2021).
No more than real serial numbers, but random codes (17 digits) to make it impossible or at least very difficult to trace information on the factories / suppliers of origin or on the production period of the spare part. Now Apple would have identified the need for extend the serial by adding a digitthe reason for now is unknown and in light of Apple’s habits we will probably never know.
