New Code in iOS 27.2 Aims to Thwart iPhone-Snatching Thieves

Earlier this year, code sleuths found evidence that Apple was working on a new theft deterrent that would automatically lock an iPhone when it was snatched out of the owner’s hand. While it wasn’t clear when or how this would be implemented, it appears that iOS 27.2 may be bringing it closer to reality.

A follow-up report from 9to5Mac, which revealed the original hints of the feature in May, points to new references in the second iOS 27.2 beta that not only show that Apple is still actively developing the feature, but offer some additional insights into how it could work.

The feature appears intended to combat a recent trend where thieves are now snatching iPhones directly out of users’ hands, often in “ride-by” style thefts. It’s a technique that’s become especially popular in dense cities like London, where high population density makes it easy for criminals to target pedestrians distracted by their iPhones.

Thieves have also caught on to the fact that unlocked devices are considerably more valuable, as it increases the likelihood they’ll be able to disable features like Activation Lock that would otherwise leave them with little more than an expensive brick. Plus, the data crooks can glean from a stolen device is often far more lucrative than the hardware itself.

The new anti-theft feature would be similar to Google’s Theft Detection Lock, joining other security features like Activation Lock, Stolen Device Protection, and enhanced Find My that works even if the iPhone is off.

When properly implemented, these features can still prevent a device from being resold too easily — turning off Activation Lock still requires the user’s Apple Account password to be entered even when the iPhone is already unlocked, and Stolen Device Protection adds a biometric requirement and a one-hour delay to the mix — but they don’t do as much to protect a user’s personal data unless it’s locked behind an additional password.

The new code seen by 9to5Mac shows that Apple is working on refining the signals that will be used to determine when an iPhone has been snatched, distinguishing them from things that might occur during normal use.

While the most obvious of these is using the accelerometer and gyroscope to detect a motion consistent with an iPhone being snatched out of someone’s hand, the system also checks for a loss of connectivity to a paired Apple Watch, a prolonged loss of network connectivity, or a device remaining unlocked for an atypical amount of time.

There are also references to signals that could indicate false positives, “such as successful biometric authentication, certain foreground app activities that could otherwise be mistaken for signs that the device has been taken, and a backoff mechanism that can temporarily suppress further automatic locks after repeated lock events.”

It also appears that Apple will use a location-based framework similar to Stolen Device Protection to allow users to disable the anti-snatching detection when the iPhone is in a familiar location.

All of these are factored into a “voting system” that determines whether the iPhone should automatically lock itself, designed to offer protection without making users experience random locking events during normal use.

The “AutoLock” feature remains hidden within internal code right now, and is not available in any user-facing form in the iOS 27.2 betas. While it’s possible Apple could enable it further along in the beta cycle, it’s just as likely it’s still in the early testing stages and won’t show up until a later point release.