Apple is working on a new security feature to prevent iPhone hijacking – PGR

Apple’s iPhone has long been a prime target for thieves. This is in part because the iPhone has a higher resale value than similarly positioned Android devices. For example, a 256 GB iPhone 15 Pro still has a trade-in value of $527 on smartphone trading platform Bankmycell. In contrast, Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra — released the same year as the iPhone 15 Pro — trades in the $295 range. The iPhone’s ability to retain value, coupled with strong demand for the device, has created an environment where iPhone theft is a persistent problem in major cities around the world.

To help mitigate the problem, Apple is said to be working on a feature to prevent iPhones from being suddenly snatched from unsuspecting users, or potential thieves in situations where an iPhone is taken away under force or threat. These types of crimes are commonly referred to as “snatch and grab” and can be particularly problematic because some of Apple’s existing security mechanisms, such as Activation Lock, are less helpful if the phone is grabbed while it’s unlocked. As a result, Apple is reportedly working on a new feature that will help the iPhone’s accelerometer detect when the device is suddenly grabbed from a user’s hands.

Word of the feature first came to light via 9to5Mac. At this point, it’s unclear if it will be introduced at WWDC in early June or if it’s still in the research phase. The original report says the feature is “under active development,” suggesting it will see the light of day soon.

This feature certainly seems puzzling at first glance. However, in practice, the software needs to be more accurate to distinguish between “snatch and grab” and other scenarios that involve someone using their device casually. After all, if the person holding the iPhone shakes their hand excitedly and it automatically locks, this feature becomes a nuisance.

It’s also worth noting that Apple can add some guards to prevent this feature from being activated when it’s not needed. For example, the feature is said to take into account whether the device is on the user’s home Wi-Fi network, reducing “snatch and grab” situations. The feature can also check if the device is moving too far away from the owner’s Apple Watch after the accelerometer detects significant movement.

Over the past few years, Apple has slowly but surely added new features that, taken together, have made the iPhone harder to steal. A more recent example is stolen device protection. First released two years ago with iOS 17.3, this feature prevents a thief from immediately changing important and sensitive iPhone settings. If a device is in a new location, the user must authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID to access sensitive data such as passwords and financial information. Note that this is necessary even if the iPhone is unlocked. Furthermore, biometric authentication is the only way to access this type of information; Even if a thief knows your passcode, that’s not enough.

Another feature of Stolen Device Protection is that certain actions, such as changing your Apple ID password, may require an hour delay. This helps prevent common scenarios where a thief attempts to change a user’s Apple ID while the victim is present. Apple also says the one-hour delay allows the victim time to report the device as lost or stolen. Stolen device protection is turned off by default, but you can enable it by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and scrolling down.