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PIN Code to Power Off

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  • 12-05-2017 11:10am
    #1
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭


    Why is this not an option on the iPhone (or any phone for that matter) Its well known the first thing someone stealing a phone does is power it off so that it cant be traced/tracked but if a PIN was required to turn it off it would make stealing phones less profitable, harder to sell/dispose off and assist in tracking the culprits.

    Obviously like every other option on iphones, people can switch this feature off but I think most would leave it on as very few people actually switch their phones off any more opting for 'flight mode' if necessary or low power mode if the battery is running low and I cant think of a situation where the 2 or 3 seconds it would take to enter a PIN code would be seen as a hinderance.

    Perhaps there is an app that allows this feature to be added to the phone?


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    #2
    murpho999
    Registered Users Posts: 28,484 ✭✭✭✭murpho999


    If they can bypass the pin required to turn it on then I don't see how one required to switch it off would be an issue.

    Also switching to airplane mode from the lock screen would stop the phone from being traced so no need for thieves to worry about powering off.


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    #3
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Ok so add another PIN request for the airplane mode (again can be turned off if need be)

    Also most scroates that nick phones don't have access to software or whatever in order to bypass the pin and even if they did, they wont have immediate access to it.

    Why have the phone companies put so little effort into phone protection, the features I mentioned are simple functions that could be added at any time.

    The reason I started thinking on this is because a week or so ago, my friend had his iPhone stolen while in a busy pub, it was on the table beside him but he turned around for a minute to talk to someone and when he turned back the phone was gone. He asked me for my phone and opened up 'find my iPhone' and logged in and his phone had been switched off and so he was only able to see the last location which was the pub we were in. He tried ringing it and it was switched off. If there was a PIN request for switching it off at least he could have tracked it to a location and informed Garda or simply went there himself.


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    #4
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,678 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    What good would a pin be when they could just pull out the SIM card? Plus there are many situations in which it might be necessary to forcibly shut down or restart an unresponsive device. A shut down pin could make this process an even bigger inconvenience.

    The purpose of Find My iPhone and Activation Lock is to deter thieves and protect the privacy of your data. The guards aren't going to be go breaking down doors because your phone's highly inaccurate GPS says its there. You would need more evidence than that, so it would be no use in your mate's case unless you wanted to go and take on a bunch of scummers by yourself. I mean, how would that even work? You accuse them of stealing your phone, they deny it, then what? What if you're wrong?

    Take solace in the fact that the combination of Apple's Activation Lock and network blacklisting means stolen iPhones are mostly only good for spare parts these days. That and the fact that insurance scams have made people very reluctant to buy second-hand iPhones.


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