apple watch security

[magicMac]

one great thing about the iPhone is that, despite still being a very sought after phone, theft is at an all-time low due to IOS activation lock, carrier locking, IMEI blocking within some countries like the UK, the fact you can just hide it in you pocket and lastly being able to track it down with find my iPhone (assuming the SIM card has not been removed!).

The Apple Watch on the other hand sits on your wrist, seen by anyone and doesn't run full iOS so may not support "find my watch" or have any sort of iCloud lock. Will theft become a major problem ? could argue the lack of USB port makes it extremely difficult to bypass the rumoured 4-digit passcode?

Thoughts/Opinions?

 

[Julien]

....The Apple Watch on the other hand sits on your wrist, seen by anyone and doesn't run full iOS so may not support "find my watch" or have any sort of iCloud lock. Will theft become a major problem ?....

Thoughts/Opinions?

Same could be said of a Rolex except a Rolex would be worth a LOT more to a thief.

EDIT: The aWatch will have a 'brick' lock mode since you must enter a PIN (or pair to your iPhone) to activate.

 

[Mike Delta]

The apple watch will lock when it goes out of blue tooth range.

 

[Vundu]

Same could be said of a Rolex except a Rolex would be worth a LOT more to a thief.

EDIT: The aWatch will have a 'brick' lock mode since you must enter a PIN (or pair to your iPhone) to activate.

I think Apple Watches will be a bit more of a common sight to would be thieves than Rolexs though.

 

[Julien]

I think Apple Watches will be a bit more of a common sight to would be thieves than Rolexs though.

....and the number of thieves remains relatively constant. So safety in numbers.

 

[kdarling]

EDIT: The aWatch will have a 'brick' lock mode since you must enter a PIN (or pair to your iPhone) to activate.

Isn't the PIN only required to enable the NFC payments?

Right now, it seems that you could steal an Apple Watch, reset it to factory new, then connect it to your own phone. It'll be interesting to see what Apple comes up with to prevent theft.

The apple watch will lock when it goes out of blue tooth range.

I hope not.

I'd hate to have to enter a PIN every time I came back into range with the phone. That would likely create a ton of missed notifications, if you forget to do it. And/or annoyances if the watch keeps reminding you to go find your phone and enter a PIN.

 

[Julien]

Isn't the PIN only required to enable the NFC payments?

Right now, it seems that you could steal an Apple Watch, reset it to factory new, then connect it to your own phone. It'll be interesting to see what Apple comes up with to prevent theft.



I hope not.

I'd hate to have to enter a PIN every time I came back into range with the phone. That would likely create a ton of missed notifications, if you forget to do it. And/or annoyances if the watch keeps reminding you to go find your phone and enter a PIN.

We don't know for sure but you will likely have at least the option to set a PIN to unlock regardless of aPay.

Also as long as you are wearing the aWatch you won't have to renter the PIN when you come back into iPhone range.

You may have the choice of entering the PIN on the iPhone (aWatch master app) or aWatch making it easer.

Also we don't know enough to speculate much on a master reset.

Watch theft has been around since, well watches. I don't think the aWatch will change that much for you as an individual. The fact is that statistically the number of aWatch stolen will be high, but will likely correlate to the high number of aWatches sold (assuming it sells well).