Apple plans to add a new security feature to the iPhone that will automatically lock the device when snatched from your hand.
Google already offers a similar anti-theft feature called Theft Detection Lock on Android phones.
A new iPhone anti-theft feature is under development
iPhones already offer several security features to help you track your lost or stolen phone. This includes Activation Lock, Find My iPhone and the ability to remotely wipe the device.
However, phone thieves are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and there is often little you can do if someone grabs your iPhone from your hand or pocket and quickly disappears. In such situations, protecting the data stored on the device becomes just as important as recovering the phone itself.
To strengthen that protection, Apple is reportedly developing a new security feature. One that automatically locks an iPhone when it detects a possible theft, reports 9to5Mac. The feature will help keep your personal data safe, even if thieves manage to escape with the device.
Apple’s implementation will presumably work similarly to Android’s. The iPhone should use data from its accelerometer and gyroscope to detect when someone snatches it from your hand and then automatically lock the device.
Apple will also apparently use the distance between the iPhone and a paired Apple Watch to determine when to lock the device. Stolen Device Protection measures will automatically kick in after that.
This means, unless you use your iPhone in a familiar location or connect it to a known Wi-Fi network, it will limit access to many sensitive account and device-related settings. These security safeguards should ensure that the snatcher cannot access your personal data stored on the device.
Apple will likely make this new iPhone anti-theft feature official as part of iOS 27 at WWDC26 next month.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
