Apple's iPhone is target for phonejacking muggers

Alex has crafted an iPhone UK FAQ. One of the questions/answers at the bottom is:

Q: Will the iPhone make me popular and increase my pulling power?
A: Preliminary research carried out by early iPhone adopters says yes – you will attract a large crowd in any public space if you whip out your iPhone. However bear in mind that mobile phone theft is a growing problem – and the last thing you’d want to do is have your new pride and joy pinched by some young hooligan types.

Which got me thinking. I was phonejacked back in June (read all about the humilating experience) and thus, I feel I’m now an instant expert in all things phonejack related.

My really funky Shure e4c headphones don’t fit in my iPhone. The way the handset’s headphone socket has been engineered prevents the Shure ones from working. A bit of an arse. Thus the only headphones I’ve got to use with my iPhone are the Apple-supplied muggerbait white ones. (The Shure headphones are black).

I’ve been using the iPod functions regularly out and about and I just hate it. Hate it. Every one looks. Particularly the shady characters that you get wandering around London. The last thing I want to do is take out my iPhone to change a track when I’m already advertising the fact I’m carrying some sort of Apple device.

Obviously a phonejacker would be spectacularly unimpressed at mugging you, only to find out you’re carrying an iPod Shuffle. Not that valuable. Compare that to an ultra hot 400 quid iPhone… now you’re talking.

So I’ve been very, very aware just how mugger-friendly I’ve been looking recently walking around London with WHITE headphones and, occasionally, taking out the iPhone to change track. Not good. Not good at all.

If you’re sporting an iPhone — take extra care when and where you show it off.

I need to get some black headphones. I wonder if Shure are making iPhone compatible ones now?