Announcements

In recent years, teams working with Android device sanitization have increasingly encountered cases where the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) cannot be retrieved automatically. This is typically not a single-device anomaly, but the result of Android privacy changes and OEM-specific security hardening.

1. Android 10 (API 29) and later: tighter access to non-resettable identifiers

Starting with Android 10, access to non-resettable device identifiers (such as IMEI and serial numbers) has been restricted as part of Android’s privacy protections. In many cases, IMEI access is no longer available to regular applications and may require privileged/system-level capabilities.

Reference: AOSP “Device identifiers”: https://source.android.com/docs/core/connect/device-identifiers

2. Why ADB / service call approaches are increasingly unreliable

Some environments historically used ADB shell commands or internal service calls (e.g., service call iphonesubinfo) to retrieve IMEI. However, these paths are unofficial and unstable, and behavior can vary by Android version, security patch level, and OEM implementation. As a result, newer builds more often return empty results or errors.

3. OEM-specific debugging/security settings

Some OEMs and Android variants (e.g., MIUI/HyperOS) add additional security toggles beyond standard “USB debugging,” which can restrict what can be accessed via ADB. In practice, missing one of these settings may lead to incomplete device information retrieval.

4. Practical summary

• On Android 10+, automatic IMEI retrieval is generally harder by design
• ADB/internal commands are device/build-dependent and not guaranteed
• OEM settings can affect the workflow significantly

5. How MASAMUNE Erasure addresses this reality

MASAMUNE Erasure is designed so that sanitization work can proceed even when automatic IMEI retrieval is limited by platform policy. We continuously maintain compatibility with newer Android versions and devices, and provide operational guidance for common on-site issues.

We recommend confirming USB debugging, any OEM-specific security toggles, on-screen authorization prompts, and using the latest version of MASAMUNE Erasure.

6. Notes

On non-root, standard ADB environments, automatic IMEI retrieval can be significantly restricted by design, and manual input may be required depending on the device and OS build. While some privileged configurations may allow access, this should not be assumed in general operations.

---

Contact: If you need guidance for your device mix and operational environment, please contact our support team.

投稿 Android IMEI Access Restrictions and How MASAMUNE Erasure Handles Them は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。

build=126 / Library: 0.3.2-121 + 0.8.3-420r has been released.

Changes in this update:

1. Improved stability on iPhone 8 / 8 Plus
2. For unknown (unsupported) iOS devices, the software now prompts you to perform a manual device reset.
   If the device is not yet supported (e.g., IPSW writing is not available), please perform a manual reset as a temporary workaround.

As before, the update will be applied automatically when you launch the software, so no additional action is required.

Thank you for continuing to use MASAMUNE Erasure.

投稿 Update: Improved Stability on iPhone 8 / 8 Plus は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。

build=127 / Library: 0.3.2-122 + 0.8.3-422 has been released.

Thank you for your patience. MASAMUNE Erasure now supports iPhone X based on IPSW 11.1.2.

As before, the update will be applied automatically when you launch the software, so no additional action is required.

Thank you for continuing to use MASAMUNE Erasure.

投稿 Update: iPhone X Erasure Support (IPSW 11.1.2) は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。

Thank you for using and considering MASAMUNE Erasure.

Update Notice

MASAMUNE Erasure was updated on May 31.

With this update, if an error occurs while retrieving an IMEI, the software will automatically retry.

The version after the update is “build=20192 / Library: 0.3.3-187 + 0.9.2-608r”.

Background

We received feedback that IMEI information was missing for some devices such as iPhones and cellular iPads.

After investigation, we found that when an erasure is started from DFU mode or Recovery mode, IMEI retrieval may fail.

To address this, the software will retry IMEI retrieval up to three times when it fails.

Reminder: Beware of “sealed box” scams

Reuse Keizai Shimbun reported a warning about iPhone buyback inspections:

https://www.recycle-tsushin.com/news/detail_9690.php

(Quote) A buyback shop purchased two unopened units of the latest iPhone 15 Pro (256GB and 512GB). When the shop resold them to another buyer, it turned out that the boxes contained two sets of AA batteries (4-pack × 2).

Most buyers do not open sealed products during purchase, but this incident exploited that practice. It is important to check for any irregularities in the shrink wrap and assess the customer carefully.

A quick joke: even if something is “10-car” heavy, it can still be hell inside.

Thank you

This update was also developed based on feedback from MASAMUNE users. We sincerely appreciate your valuable input.

Thank you for your continued support of MASAMUNE Erasure.

Braver Co., Ltd.

CEO Hayato Abe

投稿 Update: IMEI Retrieval Retry (Up to 3 Attempts) は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。

Thank you for using and considering MASAMUNE Erasure.

MASAMUNE Update: iPhone 15 Series Support

 

On April 2, we released an update that adds support for erasing iPhone 15 devices (iPhone 15 / 15 Plus / iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max).

The version after the update is “build=20191 / Library: 0.3.3-186 + 0.9.2-606r”.

If you close and relaunch MASAMUNE Erasure, the update will be applied automatically.

We also support storage media erasure

– We want to prepare for the upcoming PC returns (e.g., GIGA School programs)…

– Our current erasure software is expensive, and we want to review operations…

Based on this feedback, we released a disk erasure edition: “MASAMUNE Erasure Storage edition meets kirala21”.

It can erase storage media in PCs (Windows/MacBook), servers, and workstations. For a 256GB SSD, erasure typically takes around 5 minutes. The pricing is 100 JPY per successful erasure.

Please contact us for details. (Phone: +81-50-1742-2018)

https://www.masamune.com/storage_edt/

About the Network Restriction Checker

 

It seems that there is ongoing discussion in the used mobile industry about reviewing “network usage restrictions”.

In a meeting held by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in March, the industry group RMJ requested abolishing or revising the mechanism that applies restrictions even to devices whose ownership has already been transferred.

On the other hand, carriers expressed opposition due to concerns about increased fraudulent purchases.

Reference: Reuse Keizai Shimbun

MASAMUNE includes a feature that, during used-mobile inspection, automatically retrieves the IMEI (device identifier) from the device, auto-fills it into carrier network-restriction check sites, and determines whether any restrictions apply. Learn more here.

A small joke: the start of a fiscal year often comes with a lot of “restrictions”.

Thank you

MASAMUNE continues to improve thanks to your requests.

This update was also developed based on feedback from active users.

“Building a truly domestic data-erasure program together with all of you—beyond organizational boundaries.”

With this in mind, we will continue to focus on development and delivery.

Thank you for your continued support of MASAMUNE Erasure.

 

Braver Co., Ltd.

CEO Hayato Abe

投稿 Update: iPhone 15 Series Erasure Support は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。

We have released an update to accompany the official launch of the Network Restriction Check feature.

• Added automatic saving of the Network Restriction Check password.
  Once authentication is completed, the password is saved automatically and you will not need to enter it next time.
  You can delete the saved password from the File menu by selecting “Reset user settings…”.
• Added a logo image to the background of the Mobile Edition.

The version after the update is “build=20190 / Library: 0.3.3-105 + 0.9.2-604r”.

As before, the update will be applied automatically after restarting Erasure.

Thank you for continuing to use MASAMUNE Erasure.

 

投稿 Update: Official Release of Network Restriction Check は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。

Previously, network restriction status was checked by manually searching on carrier pages or dedicated websites.

“Network Restriction Check” automatically displays whether a used smartphone has a network restriction, and it also supports checking multiple devices at once.

This feature is introduced on the following page:

Network Restriction Check

投稿 Press Release: Network Restriction Check Feature は MASAMUNE に最初に表示されました。