If your 5s gets stolen, thieves don't even have to deal with Touch ID to unlock it?

[charlituna]

Instead after a certain amount of failed attempts (or phone reboot) the iPhone simply asks for your simple 4 digit password instead of a more secure fingerprint

48 hrs or a reboot. So many failed attempts disables the phone so a DFU is required

And it's only a simple passcode if you decide to leave it that way. Use complex mode and have at it.

Make sure you also have activation lock turned on so they will get rewarded with a brick.

Apple had to have a backup way because sensors have issues some of which aren't a defect etc but just the nature of things. Like if you are doing something that requires gloves or it's freezing outside and you are wearing them. Most folks would rather fall back on the passcode than pull gloves off just to unlock their phone.

 

[Jman13]

Yeah, once I have the 5S, I won't use the simple 4 digit passcode, I'll use a long alphanumeric password, since I'll almost never have to type it. Much more secure. It'll be nice when this goes to my wife next year as well, as she refuses to use a passcode, but I'm pretty sure I can convince her to use Touch ID.

 

[Carlanga]

Touch-id is just a faster way to unlock a password secure iPhone.

 

[cambookpro]

Ah, gotcha.

For some reason I thought Touch ID would disable the ability to simply unlock via 4-digit code altogether (if you wanted) and instead always require the fingerprint for added security. Seems like Apple should have added the option to only unlock via fingerprint for those that want this more secure option.

I guess it's more just to help out the lazy ones who didn't want to deal with passcodes in the first place.

I haven't read the rest of the thread, but here's why you can't only use Touch ID: gloves. Broken home button. Decapitated finger.

 

[617aircav]

No amount of passwords of security will stop people from stealing phones. Walk out of a restaurant and leave your phone behind and a thief finds it he won't not steal it because of any code.

 

[asleep]

This is a common misconception. But the passcode is not only used to unlock the phone, but also to derive the key that is used to encrypt protected data on your phone (in the keychain), such as saved passwords etc.. Using readily available forensic software tools (that use OS exploits similar to jailbreaking), a thief can break into your device via the USB port and extract the data from your phone. If you are only using a 4-digit passcode, it can be broken by brute force in a matter of minutes.

The main advantage of the fingerprint sensor is that it makes it practical to use a longer, more secure passcode, since you rarely have to type it.

This makes the most sense to me.

 

[deeddawg]

No amount of passwords of security will stop people from stealing phones. Walk out of a restaurant and leave your phone behind and a thief finds it he won't not steal it because of any code.

True, a lock code by itself won't necessarily prevent theft.

Lock code plus find-my-phone plus activation lock in iOS7 preventing activation of a phone marked "lost" should reduce the attractiveness of stealing the phone by reducing it's resale value. If all works as claimed, a stolen phone would generally only be useful as parts.

 

[dagamer34]

This is a common misconception. But the passcode is not only used to unlock the phone, but also to derive the key that is used to encrypt protected data on your phone (in the keychain), such as saved passwords etc.. Using readily available forensic software tools (that use OS exploits similar to jailbreaking), a thief can break into your device via the USB port and extract the data from your phone. If you are only using a 4-digit passcode, it can be broken by brute force in a matter of minutes.

The main advantage of the fingerprint sensor is that it makes it practical to use a longer, more secure passcode, since you rarely have to type it.

I would easily use 6 or 8 character numbers if it didn't switch to an alphanumeric keyboard which makes it 10x harder to type in.

 

[daijholt]

I thought about this myself earlier...

1. the thief in question would need to first get a copy of your fingerprints and the tools to do it
2. then they would need to get your phone
3. then they'd need to actually make the bypass work
4. They'd need to do it all before you notice it's gone and put the phone into lost mode with find my iphone
5. plus they'd need to bypass activation lock

I don't know if getting prints off a screen is reliable enough to be viable so I can't comment there, but it'll save you from the everyday thief who thinks he can make a quick buck by stealing your goods. Plus, if you disable control centre from lock screen, it'll stop them using airplane mode before getting into the phone, and since shutting the device off prompts for a passcode, it'd ruin their efforts. I know you can just remove the sim which basically disconnects it from the web anyway, but that'd leave them with a very expensive paperweight/iPod.