Apple has applied for a patent which could result in future iDevices being automatically locked or password protected in accordance with the location of the user at the time. Sublime security or a step too far? Apple has decided to further its ‘Big Brother’ tactics to keep tabs on what its fanbois are up to […]
Apple has applied for a patent which could result in future iDevices being automatically locked or password protected in accordance with the location of the user at the time. Sublime security or a step too far?
Apple has decided to further its ‘Big Brother’ tactics to keep tabs on what its fanbois are up to and where they’re going. Or more specifically, where their devices are going. The only problem is, the new patent application picked up on this week could see the rightful owner of iPhones and iPads locked out of them entirely, if they find themselves in a particularly far-flung region.
Long story short, Apple has registered an application for what it outlines as “location-sensitive security levels and setting profiles based on detected location.” Roughly translated into plain English, it’s all about some kind of security feature that kicks in automatically in accordance with the location of the device at the time.
The device would essentially scan the surrounding area to pick up on its location, how many others devices were around and so on and so forth in order to make its mind up whether to beef-up security or perhaps lock-up altogether.
In theory, this could mean that if you were to carry your iPhone into one of the dodgier parts of South Central Los Angeles, there’s a good chance it would lock you out until you hammered your password back in. If on the other hand you were taking a relaxed midday stroll around Beverly Hills, it would let you in and out with no password needed.
“To provide a reliably pleasant and secure experience for a user operating a mobile device, it can be desirable to modify security settings or other device behavior based on a detected location,” reads an extract from the filing.
“Mobile device users often frequent the same locations. Mobile devices can be configured to detect the current location. Based on the detected current location, the mobile device can modify settings and configurations,”
“Security settings are one example of device behavior that can be modified in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.”
Another idea that blurs the increasingly fine line between cool and creepy – we’ll let you decide on which side it’s weighted.
