iPhone may soon know when it’s being stolen: Apple tests new AutoLock feature
Apple is improving iPhone anti-theft protection (photo: Getty Images)
The iPhone will be able to instantly lock the screen when stolen — Apple is preparing new protection against thieves. Details of the feature were discovered in the code of a test version of iOS, according to 9To5Mac.
How will the system detect a theft?
The technology, which is already known internally as AutoLock, analyzes several factors at once to determine whether the device may have been stolen:
Sudden acceleration — sensors detect the characteristic jerk that occurs when a smartphone is snatched from someone’s hand.
Loss of connection to Apple Watch — the disappearance of the signal or a prolonged disconnection from a paired smartwatch.
Loss of network connection — a prolonged lack of connection to mobile data or Wi-Fi.
Prolonged active state — the device remains unlocked for longer than the usual interval.
Protection against accidental lockouts
To prevent the smartphone from locking accidentally, for example while running or after a fall, Apple is developing a system of suppression and voting.
If theft is suspected, this can be canceled by factors such as successful biometric authentication, being in a familiar location, or actively using certain apps.
In addition, a special algorithm is designed to temporarily suppress repeated automatic locking if the system has mistakenly responded to normal movements several times in a row.
When will the feature be available?
For now, the AutoLock service runs in the background to collect data and test the algorithms, while the actual screen-locking mechanism remains disabled.
The feature is still under active development, and Apple has not yet announced an official timeline for its full rollout to users.
