Apple is reportedly working on a new iOS feature that will lock users' phones immediately should they get grabbed by a phone snatcher.
The new feature would leverage technology already on the iPhone, including its accelerometer as well as potentially its connection to an Apple Watch, to detect the snatching and immediately lock the device, according to 9to5Mac.
Phone snatchers in large metropolitan areas often use motorbikes to steal phones from the hands of the unwary. In addition to a quick escape, this strategy allows phone snatchers to potentially obtain unlocked phones. An unlocked phone can be worth up to $1,000 to a thief, about $800 more than a locked phone, according to a recent Wired report.
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An unlocked device is more valuable because thieves can access users' personal data and apps and have a much easier route to the phone owner's bank account, the publisher wrote.
This new feature would be the latest in Apple’s Stolen Device Protection features that include Activation Lock, which stops thieves from disabling tracking or resetting the phone without the correct Apple Account login, and the Find My app, which allows users to track their missing or stolen Apple devices.
Users already have access to features requiring biometric authentication to unlock their devices, as well as other security features like Security Delay, which forces anyone changing major passwords or performing similar actions to wait an hour and confirm the decision with an additional biometric authentication.
It’s unclear when Apple might debut this new feature if the 9to5Mac report proves accurate. The next opportunity would be at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Scheduled for June 8-12, this is where Apple often reveals details about the next iOS. So we may hear more about this feature sooner rather than later.