Apple is working on a new iPhone security feature that can automatically lock the device when it detects that it has been snatched from the user’s hand. Here are the details.
Apple chases iPhone thieves
Many of us know that feeling: one second you’re looking at your iPhone and the next you’re looking at an empty hand. By the time you realize what happened, whoever took the device is already out of reach.
Over the years, Apple has much improved Anti-theft protections for iPhone, with functions such as find my, Activation Lockand Stolen device protection.
However, many of those protections can become nearly useless if a thief grabs the device while it’s still unlocked.
Apple includes time-based security delays to prevent major changes to the Apple ID, but the reality is that a thief can still cause major damage once he gets his hands on an unlocked iPhone.
That’s why Apple is working on a new feature that automatically locks the iPhone when the system detects that it has been snatched from the user’s hand, similar to what happens on Android. Theft detection lock.
These systems will rely on various signals, including the iPhone’s accelerometer, to detect when the device has been snatched from the user’s hand. Once the theft is confirmed, it will automatically lock the iPhone.
To further determine if the iPhone may have been taken from its owner, the feature will also look at the distance from a paired Apple Watch.
Additionally, once fully implemented and enabled, the feature will take into account the same rules that apply to Stolen Device Protection: whether the iPhone is connected to a family WiFi network and whether it is in a familiar location, such as home or work.
If those conditions suggest that the iPhone has been taken from its owner in an unknown location, in addition to automatically locking the device, the feature will restrict access to the same areas protected by Stolen Device Protection.
There are no details on when these features will be announced, but code seen by 9to5Mac makes it clear that they are in active development. Hopefully, they’ll arrive sooner rather than later.
You can learn more about protecting stolen devices here.
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