iPhone 6(S)/Plus Sudden Activation Request w/o Internet

[TillAny]

I have an iPhone 6S which has no way of connecting to the internet – it has no SIM card, no Wifi (I use it as an alarm clock, old photo storage etc.)

Some time ago, it suddenly prompted me with the iPhone activation screen (select Wifi network or connect to iTunes). I can't get past that screen to the usual phone functions/apps.

I read this may be due to a forced iOS update, but I don't know how an offline phone could discover an update since there's been no internet connection for years. Is there a built-in expiry date on the phone?

It's also not a drive failure, since it still remembers and requests for my old pin code whenever I lock the phone.

I've been hesistant to (re-)activate the phone, as a friend encountered something similar where she was forced to connect her old iPhone to iTunes and then immediately got locked-out – once connected, she was prompted for the password to very old and lost iTunes account (which was originally used to activate that phone when first purchased).

Anyway there's no choice, as I need my iPhone 6S now to access an old app, so 2 questions:

1) Is this "sudden activation" screen a common situation? Will I be locked-out if I simply connected to Wifi or iTunes to (re-)activate the phone?

2) Before activating the phone, is there a method to fully back-up in a way that'll be possible to restore even all of the app's saved data? (I've lost one of my logins, but know I'm still logged-in/trusted on this old phone, so can't afford to loss the app's data/session.)

Thanks.

 

[JPack]

Activation tickets expire after 2-3 years. Not sure about the rest of your questions.

 

[okkibs]

Should not happen, could indicate a failure of some sort.

 

[FeliApple]

Is it on iOS 9?

 

[arw]

To 2):
Yes, if you select "Encrypt local backup" for your iPhone in iTunes all passwords/login credentials are included in the local backup and restored to the iPhone when restoring from such backups.
IIRC the only exception may be special insurance/banking apps. But it's impossible to say beforehand.

The "Encrypt local backup" option in the Finder or iTunes locks and encodes your information. Encrypted backups can include information that unencrypted backups don't:

• Your saved passwords
• Wi-Fi settings
• Website history
• Health data
• Call history

Encrypted backups don't include Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode data.
Your backup isn't encrypted by default. To encrypt a backup in the Finder or iTunes for the first time, turn on the password-protected "Encrypt local backup" option. Backups for your device will automatically be encrypted from then on. You can also make a backup in iCloud, which automatically encrypts your information every time.

About encrypted backups on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

You can use password protection and encryption to protect backups of your device.

support.apple.com

 

[TillAny]

Activation tickets expire after 2-3 years. Not sure about the rest of your questions.

What are "activation tickets"? Do you mean an iPhone needs to be periodically re-activated/connected to the internet every 2-3 years?

Is it on iOS 9?

Unsure if I'm on iOS 9 — it's possible as I haven't updated the phone since the mid 2010s. Is there a way to check what iOS it's on when I can't get passed the activation screen?

if you select "Encrypt local backup" for your iPhone in iTunes all passwords/login credentials are included in the local backup and restored to the iPhone when restoring from such backups.

It's not just about the password/login credential, but the session/state certain app was in, as I may not have logged in before.

I think that's my main concern in finding a way to "fully" back-up the phone in case the re-activation goes bad. I understand I can back-up in iTunes, but feel this would be limited by what data Apple backs-up and restores. So prefer a 3rd party software that can fully image the phone's current state and do an exact 1-1 restoration in case it goes bad. Is there such a software?

Thanks all.