Whenever you're in a high-traffic area, do you refrain from using your iPhone and keep it in your pocket instead? It's not that you’re worried about someone listening in to your conversation. What is making you nervous is the possibility of someone snatching the phone right out of your hand and running off with it.
Android handsets already have the Theft Detection Lock
Google addressed this issue for Android users last year with a feature called Theft Detection Lock. Combining AI with on-device sensors, an Anmdroid phone will lock down when it detects that it has been snatched out of your grasp with speed.
Discovered code in the iOS 27.2 Beta reveals that Apple is working on a feature like this for iPhone
With this feature, even if you lose possession of your Android device, you won’t have to fret about losing your data, your credentials, and your money. Yes, this is a feature that I’m sure many iPhone users would love to have, and according to code discovered in the new iOS 27.2 beta release, it could be on the way.
Apple is working on its version of Android's Theft Detection Lock feature
Based on this discovered code, it seems that Apple will be looking for signals like the following to determine whether your device has been taken from its owner:
A sharp acceleration that lines up with the phone being snatched.
A paired Apple Watch remaining unreachable with a loss in connectivity.
The device remains unlocked longer than a certain time period.
The code also mentioned certain safeguards that would be put in place to prevent false positives. Such safeguards include biometric authentication.
When the feature generates a signal indicating that the iPhone might have been stolen and should be locked, the aforementioned safeguards can veto the lock. This is how the iPhone’s “AutoLock” could prevent your device from getting locked based on false signals.
Hopefully we will see this feature released for the iPhone later this year
Despite the discovery of the code, the new feature is still under development by Apple. It has yet to enable the part of the feature that works in the background to lock the phone. It’s possible that Apple left this part of the feature unlocked so it can test whether the tech behind this works without actually locking the device.
Android users already have a feature like this. | Image by Reddit
I think that this is a great security feature and perhaps Apple will enable it for the iPhone later this year.
Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.
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