Apple iPhone to receive theft protection à la Android

The number of smartphone thefts has risen steadily for years. Phone snatching in particular is on the rise. This involves an unlocked smartphone being snatched from the user's hand, for example from a motorcycle, so that the thief has direct access to sensitive user data and apps. This can potentially cause great damage, for example by accessing the codes that are sent by text message or email during two-factor authentication.

Android-Smartphones already offer a feature called Theft Detection Lock, which can automatically lock a smartphone if it is snatched from someone's hand. According to the latest information from 9to5Mac, Apple is currently working on a similar feature for devices such as the iPhone 17 ($787 on Amazon). To recognize when the iPhone is stolen, Apple uses data from several sensors, especially the accelerometer.

If the user is wearing an Apple watch, the distance between the iPhone and smartwatch can be estimated by the strength of the Bluetooth signal to provide the software with a further clue and prevent accidental locking. If the theft is detected away from known Wi-Fi networks or stored locations, such as the user's home or workplace, additional locks come into effect to make it more difficult to access sensitive data and, in particular, to change passwords. It is not yet known when these new anti-theft features will be available, but since 9to5Mac has already found clues in the iOS code, a launch as part of iOS 27 in September is conceivable.