Apple Patents Touch ID 'Panic Mode' for Instant Access to Emergency Services

[AsherN]

Neat idea. I just don't think it should be patentable. Blackberry had that with the unlock PIN years ago. If you entered your PIN backwards, it would send an email to a designated contact.
[doublepost=1468859817][/doublepost]

From what I have heard, fingerprints aren't handled the same way a password is under the law. A law enforcement officer cannot force you to give up your password, but he/she can require you to give up your finger. In this specific instance, a fingerprint is not as secure as a password. Apple's solution here may be a way around that, allowing a citizen to quickly put their phone in a mode that isn't unlock able by a normal fingerprint and thus needs to be unlocked using a separate password, which can't be required by LEO. This would fit in nicely with Apple's stance that they cannot (and will not) give up information that is stored on someone's phone.

I can see issues with this. Your phone is locked with a fngerprint and you are asked to unlock it. You use the panic finger and further lock the phone. You may open yourself up to an obstruction charge.

 

[kdarling]

The only issue I see with this is how do you disable it? Maybe a silent alarm mode would be better - the phone looks like it unlocks but is actually in panic mode and data is still locked down.

I love this idea.

Instead of obviously locking the phone, simply go into a "boss is visiting" mode (like people used to use at work on desktops) that makes it look like it's totally unlocked... but with just some family photos and contacts, a few benign texts, no Apple Pay cards, and location history turned off.

All the good stuff would really still be there -- just hidden until you unlock it properly.

But to a thief or spouse or law enforcement (whichever you're more afraid of), it would look like it is simply a little used phone with no valuable data on it.

Of course, this only works until everyone knows about it