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Apple is reportedly working on a new feature for the iPhone that will help prevent theft.. The feature uses the device's accelerometer to detect when the iPhone is abruptly grabbed out of a user's hands.

This type of crime is typically referred to as a 'snatch and grab,' and it can be particularly problematic as some of Apple's existing security mechanisms, such as Activation Lock, are less helpful if a phone is snatched while unlocked.

The feature is said to be 'under active development,' which suggests it will see the light of day sooner rather than later.

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The feature is designed to prevent a thief from immediately changing important and sensitive iPhone settings, and biometric authentication is the only way to access this type of information.

Certain actions , such as changing your Apple ID password, may require a one-hour delay. This helps preevent common scenarios in which a would-be thief attempts to change a user's Apple ID while the victim is present.

Apple also adds that the one-hour delay allows time for the victim to report the device as lost or stolen.

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Over the past few years, Apple has slowly but surely added new features that, taken together, are designed to make the iPhone harder to steal.

The feature is a step closer to making the iPhone a more secure device, and it's likely that Apple will continue to build on this momentum in the future.

However, the software would have to be impressively prceise to distinguish between a 'snatch and grab' and other scenarios that might involve someone using their device normally.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

Apple may incorporate some guardrails to prevent the feature from activating when not needed, such as checking whether the device is on a user's home Wi-Fi network or whether the device is moving farther away from the owner's Apple Watch .

The feature is still in the exploratory phase, and it's unclear who the unnamed buyer is or what their motivations are.

However, the fact that Apple is working on this feature suggests that they are taking the issue of iPhone theft seriously and are committed to making their devices more secure.

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The feature is said to be 'under active development ,' which suggests it will see the light of day sooner rather than later.

However, the software would have to be impressively precise to distinguish between a 'snatch and grab' and other scenarios that might involve someone using their device normally.

Apple may incorporate some guardrails to prevent the feature from activating when not needed, such as checking whether the device is on a user's home Wi-Fi network or whether the device is moving farther away from the owner's Apple Watch.