Rumored anti-snatch feature will automatically lock iPhones yanked out of a user's hand
Apple is reportedly developing a new feature to combat iPhone thefts by automatically locking devices when they are forcefully taken from users. This feature aims to prevent unauthorized access to user data and accounts during thefts. The development comes in response to ongoing criticism regarding Apple's efforts to address rising iPhone snatching incidents, particularly in urban areas like London.
- ▪Apple is working on a feature that will automatically lock iPhones when they are snatched from users.
- ▪The feature will utilize various sensors, including the accelerometer, to detect theft.
- ▪This development is a response to criticism that Apple is not doing enough to combat iPhone thefts.
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| Original publisher | AppleInsider |
| Canonical URL | https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/05/27/rumored-anti-snatch-feature-will-automatically-lock-iphones-yanked-out-of-a-users-hand?utm_source=rss |
| Publication time | Wed, 27 May 2026 12:15:14 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-27T12:17:59.283Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-27T12:17:59.283Z |
| Headline source | Publisher (no WeSearch rewrite) |
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| Summary | WeSearch · cerebras-chat (WeSearch summarizer) |
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| Ranking reason | Story pages are not engagement-ranked. Hub feeds use recency, with optional source-diversified chronological ordering (cap consecutive stories per source). No personalized ranking. |
| Publisher visit | Yes — open original |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
News Rumored anti-snatch feature will automatically lock iPhones yanked out of a user's hand Malcolm Owen 0 e-mail BlueSky Mastodon X Facebook Reddit Wed May 27 2026, 08:15 AM EDT · 2 minute read Find My helps you track your devices, but don't use it to chase thieves. A future feature will help curtail the problem of iPhone snatching, with development said to be focused on automatically locking a device ripped out of an owner's hand, making it useless. Thieves snatching iPhones is a big problem in major cities around the world. In the UK capital London, it has reached a state where thieves will target iPhones over Android devices. However, Apple is reportedly working on a way to try and stop criminals from stealing the iPhone out of users' hands.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at AppleInsider.