Apple Developing iPhone Anti-Snatching Feature That Locks Stolen Phones Instantly

[dampfnudel]

Definitely making this feature with central London in mind with the scrotes on bikes

Yeah, I read that it’s really bad in London. Here in New York it’s not as bad.

 

[4tune8chance]

Definitely making this feature with central London in mind with the scrotes on bikes

Cor blimey gove’nr, the tea leafs will be doing their narna

 

[Patroclus]

Apple is developing a new feature that will lock your iPhone if it's snatched from your hand by a thief, according to Apple code seen by 9to5Mac. The option will use the gyroscope, accelerometer, and other sensors to determine when an iPhone has been grabbed. It'll also rely on a paired Apple Watch to detect when the iPhone has suddenly moved away from the owner's wrist.

How about a needle that injects a tranquilizer?

 

[arc of the universe]

I’d still like a way to prevent them from turning it off so I can at least still track it using Find My.

turning an iPhone off does not remove it from Find My in any way. you can still track your iPhone location using Find My, even though the phone is switched off.

 

[timshundo]

turning an iPhone off does not remove it from Find My in any way. you can still track your iPhone location using Find My, even though the phone is switched off.

On or off, seasoned thiefs use faraday boxes/bags to prevent any wireless/radio signal in or out of the phone anyway.

 

[Rradcircless]

I don’t trust Apple’s gyroscope features at all. Will never forget the time I fake fell to test my Apple Watch and it didn’t do anything. Also got in a car crash about a year ago and I don’t remember my 16 doing anything. The only help I got was using my watch to call my parents and ping my phone, which was flung from the dashboard MagSafe stand to who knows where. Somehow it ended up beneath the passenger seat. I was looking in the back seats.

 

[macfacts]

This is when you find out if your friends are the kind of d*cks that will grab your phone and run so it gets locked.

So just enter your password to unlock it.

 

[reza87]

It’s a nice feature but as WSJ warned in their investigation, thieves monitor users who input their passwords manually rather on the streets instead of using FaceID.

 

[lk400]

Hopefully this is an option so that those living in civilised counties don’t need to put up with the likely false positive locks.

 

[Robert.Walter]

I don’t trust Apple’s gyroscope features at all. Will never forget the time I fake fell to test my Apple Watch and it didn’t do anything. Also got in a car crash about a year ago and I don’t remember my 16 doing anything. The only help I got was using my watch to call my parents and ping my phone, which was flung from the dashboard MagSafe stand to who knows where. Somehow it ended up beneath the passenger seat. I was looking in the back seats.

Everything ends up under the passenger seat.

 

[reza87]

Hopefully this is an option so that those living in civilised counties don’t need to put up with the likely false positive locks.

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A nice, tidy list for those wondering how to discern "civilized" from "uncivilized"countries. 🍻

 

[gummybear2026]

Another worthless feature! Bring a Android phone to London and no one will mess with you.

 

[mxrider88]

Google had it for years, the title is so misleading.

 

[heath_durbin]

As long as you can turn the feature off.

 

[svish]

Will be great if it comes as a part of iOS 27. Will definitely help in case the device is stolen.

 

[bluecoast]

Nice! Now I can go to London.

Here in the uk, we will be very sad if London loses its premier position as the capital of phone snatching.

It’s one of the few things that we are world leading at nowadays.

 

[parasitius]

Honestly "sounds cool" but you should know none of this stuff will work in Colombia. They're professionals
They'll hold you at gunpoint until you've entered pins for all your crypto apps, banking aps, and until you've completely disabled remote wipe, tracking, and so on. They are laser focused when they have a gun pointed at you and know all the little "tricks" people think they're so smart with

 

[TwoBytes]

If your iPhone gets stolen the first thing most thieves do is enable Airplane Mode to cut off tracking. By default, anyone can do this straight from the lock screen via Control Center — no passcode needed.

There's a Shortcuts called "Super Airplane Mode" that people are using: it triggers the moment Airplane Mode is switched on, automatically turns it back off, and locks the screen.

There are so many variations (passcodes, faceID, switch back on, etc) , but here are some from a quick search

You can then at least use Find My from another device to try and track your iphone down

https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/1gh1co4/airport_thieves

https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/1jiiy1u/simpler_airplane_mode_theft_protection

https://www.reddit.com/r/shortcuts/comments/1e5569o/airplane_mode_face_id_protection

 

[frifra]

Only for the newest iPhone 18 though because uhh it needs Apple intelligence to work and therefore can only be implemented in the newest models 😂

 

[Antilogical]

Does this consist on a gate that begins with:

if (geo.location.inLondon) {

 

[frifra]

What about a setting that would enable (a user opt-in option) for TWO separate user iPhone passcodes to be implemented and set?

One user passcode (that could be set to be short) so 4-8 numerical PIN could be set to effectuate exclusively at specific user generated, geo-locations within settings (i.e. home and work) and a SEPARATE 15+ character ALPHANUMERIC passcode that would be set to enable EVERYWHERE a user goes, that is OUTSIDE of the parameters defined by those⬆️ users generated geo-fences - everywhere someone goes, outside of work or home

Doing this would maintain maximum user security (when it becomes warranted and necessary to do so) while balancing a user-convenient approach when security is obviously not as necessary (while a user is at home or at work)
Or if Apple allows even more customization: a third, forth or fifth (user input) geo-location

Apple’s current passcode security infrastructure is literally already designed around a geo-fence approach. What you are allowed to do outside of your home or work (password and security wise) is vastly different than the security/administrator options while you are at home. For example, there is a time sensitive wait requirement for changing one’s password while out and about - as there SHOULD be:

Too easy. Apple wants complicated. Let’s see: you need an Apple Watch, AirPods Max and an AirTag at the same time.

If the space time continuum shifts or your phone is taken, while your Apple Watch is sensing waving motions for help and your AirPods detect the sound of an e-bike or motorbike, then your phone is locked if you wiggle your AirTag.

 

[HazeAndHahmahneez]

"Oi! A Chav nicked me mobile!"

Strait out me knickers it went! Now….do I go have me a teatime with crumpets or track down a Bobby? Bleh! I’ll just have me a fag to settle me nerves!

Cor blimey gove’nr, the tea leafs will be doing their narna

WTH lol

Narnia?? Oh those crazy Brits.

turning an iPhone off does not remove it from Find My in any way. you can still track your iPhone location using Find My, even though the phone is switched off.

So the Bluetooth is still being used or the cell data or how exactly does this work, have you any idea? I’ve heard this before and wondered what exactly is happening…

 

[emulator]

I would still prefer chopped hands instead. Yes, would not work in the short but after a million, 2 or 10, the number of thefts would definitely go down.

 

[Dog Bone Malone]

I'd much prefer an in-built IED as an anti-snatch safety measure. Watch them run off with your phone, then sit down, open the popcorn and wait.......KAABOOOOOOM.

Guaranteed they won't do it again, unless they use their feet of course.

 

[macshmack]

why so 'anti-snatch' - is that where Apple thinks thieves put them?

at least in UK, you could have your stolen phone blocked from making calls, I don't know how effective that was frankly, and whether it's still a thing, and can I still see my stolen phone in 'my devices' years later.