Apple to launch web maintenance tool for iPhone and iPad

Apple is working on a web-based diagnostic tool that could be used to fix iPhones, iPads and iPod touches over the air, according to reports.

HardMac claims that Apple has already put the finishing touches to this tool and will roll it out in the coming months.

Using the tool, remote technicians will be able to tell if an iOS device shut down as normal the last time it was shut down, the battery level, how long it has been since the last charge (which will be helpful for diagnosing faulty batteries) and the version of iOS installed. The report said, however, that it was not clear if the diagnostic tool was capable of detecting if an iOS device had been jailbroken.

To enable the diagnostics system, an email containing a URL is sent to the device, which can also be entered manually, where the device will become remotely accessible to Apple engineers.

Only the unique user identification (UUID) number of the handset will be visible to the engineers to protect privacy, according to the report.