Overview
- Recent code examined by 9to5Mac indicates Apple is actively developing an anti‑snatching feature that can auto‑lock an iPhone when sensors detect it was grabbed from a user.
- The reported system combines multiple signals — the iPhone’s accelerometer, a sudden spike in distance from a paired Apple Watch, and checks of familiar Wi‑Fi or known locations — to reduce false triggers.
- When the feature determines a likely snatch, it will lock the screen and may apply the same limits used by Stolen Device Protection to block access to account or device‑change functions.
- Coverage notes the move aims to close a gap in Apple’s current tools that leaves unlocked phones vulnerable and compares the effort to Google’s 2024 Theft Detection Lock for Android.
- Apple has not announced the feature or a release date, so users should continue to rely on existing precautions while watching for any formal update from the company.