iPhone security could soon gain a feature designed to protect users from phone snatching, with code hidden in the iOS 27.2 beta suggesting Apple is developing an anti-theft tool similar to one already available on Android devices.
The concern is a familiar one for many smartphone owners. Rather than worrying about eavesdropping, users are increasingly wary of having their handset grabbed from their hand in busy areas. Apple’s reported response is a feature referred to internally as AutoLock.
How Apple’s AutoLock could work
Reports of Apple working on its own version of an anti-theft lock first surfaced in May, and code linked to the feature has now been found in the latest iOS 27.2 beta. Based on the discovered code, the system appears to monitor several signals to determine whether a device has been taken from its owner.
These indicators include a sharp acceleration consistent with the phone being snatched, a paired Apple Watch becoming unreachable through a loss of connectivity, and the device remaining unlocked for longer than a set period of time. Together, these signals would help the iPhone decide whether it may have been stolen and should therefore be locked.
Safeguards to prevent false positives
The code also references measures intended to stop the feature from locking a phone unnecessarily. Among these safeguards is biometric authentication, which can override the lock if a genuine signal is detected but the owner still has control of the device.
When the feature produces a signal suggesting the iPhone might have been stolen, these safeguards can veto the lock. This approach is intended to keep the device usable while still offering protection against theft.
The concept mirrors Android’s Theft Detection Lock, introduced by Google last year. That feature combines artificial intelligence with on-device sensors, allowing an Android phone to lock down when it detects being snatched away at speed. The aim is to protect a user’s data, credentials, and financial information even after losing physical possession of the handset.
For now, Apple’s version remains under development. The part of the feature that works in the background to lock the phone has not yet been enabled. It is possible this has been left inactive so that the underlying technology can be tested without actually locking devices during trials. The code was found in the iOS 27.2 beta.
Source
Image: phonearena.com
