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Why doesn't Apple geofence the passcode lock?
- Thread starter theipodgod16
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Location based reminders do not require the degree of accuracy that something like this would and are not as quick/accurate. Not to mention they get their locations less frequently and via less power straining methods. And there's still a high amount of controversy on its battery usage regardless.
Obviously neither of you have any idea what you're talking about.
Obviously
It would obviously be optional. And one update every 5 minutes would be plenty. Which is probably less power than all the push notifications the typical user has enabled.
And no one says it has to be accurate down to any particular distance. Anywhere within a couple of hundred metres is probably fine for those who want to use it.
Fair enough.
Technical method it uses = same anyhow. Point being: you don't need GPS for core location to work.
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Technology is supposed to make our lives easier. It may only be two seconds, but to paraphrase Steve Jobs on mac boot time...
2 seconds per unlock * several unlocks per day * several hundred million users = many entire lives worth of time wasted on this.
Having it not require a pass code when connecting to a specified wifi network would be much better. I'd love the option.
There are several features that require the iPhone to have a working knowledge at all times of your location via GPS and Cellular triangulation. This would be no different.
Ah, but they have.
Not with a geofence as you suggest, but CleverPin for jailbroken devices does something very similar. Among other things, it allows you to disable the passcode when connected to certain wifi networks (like home) or when playing music (in the car or using headphones - when you're likely to have the phone under your control). I found that to be tremendously convenient.Using a geofence may have issues with the desired level of accuracy - how large should the fence around your home be? The smaller it is, the more battery it will use to constantly check for an accurate location.
I think the simplest solution would be to have an optional toggle in Control Center to enable or disable the passcode lock:
- If you enable it, the phone becomes locked immediately (or maybe the next time you put it to sleep). Need to set it down somewhere untrustworthy? Just hit that toggle and it'll be locked until you come back.
- Obviously, you wouldn't be able to disable the passcode from the lock screen if the phone is already locked.
I would like this very much, along with a whole host of other toggles in Control Center (you could use the Settings app to select which ones you wanted to see). Those who don't like it wouldn't have to use it. But of course, Apple would never give us that kind of flexibility...
Edit: something else I've always thought of would be a low-power bluetooth (or maybe rfid) dongle, the size of a car key fob, that you would keep in your pocket at all times. When the phone is within range, the passcode is off. Otherwise it's on.
Obviously, to protect my data when out, I have my passcode lock on my iPhone. When I return home, it's a pain to have to key in my code just to unlock the phone every time I get a text.
Why can't Apple create a geofence? When I arrive home or work, at a predetermined location, disable the passcode lock. Anytime I leave the geofence, activate it.
It seems to be something that wouldn't be hard to do. I'm surprised nobody else has thought of this.
Discuss.
Wait wait wait. Did I hear this correctly. To put in a pin that takes a few seconds its a pain? I got a suggestion. Make your passcode a 1 letter word, and its even faster to unlock.
Good day Mate.
This was more what I originally had in mind. You get to work, automatically join the work network, no more code.
Only if you are lazy and unsafe and just using the 4-digit passcode! If you care about security, you'd have a long password with upper/lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols which takes a while to type in!
Not everyone uses phones/computers in the same way so it would be nice if folks didn't insult people who want/need something different (like I just did above - purely as an example of what not to do).
Many companies, including my last one, required long passwords for any iPhone so be able to access their network.
I've used ControlPlane on the Mac to do this for some time now and wish it was available on iPhones. And, for the people who don't want to use it, don't turn it on!
The best would be if the rumours are true that the 5s will have a fingerprint reader. I'd upgrade just for that alone.