Thread

My phone detects going on a run as “someone snatching my phone and running off”

75 points · 135 comments · luu

Waterluvian · 1786041461 · focus · HN ↗
Is "snatching a phone and running off" a common enough problem in some regions that this is worth having? Or is this a feature chasing after fears of the bogeyman, leading to concrete inconveniences like this?
1. bombcar · 1786041823 · focus · HN ↗
  Ever since phones became pretty immune to reselling-theft (steal phone, reset it, sell it) people have been snatching phones and trying to empty crypto, banks, etc before it locks. Some apps don't reauthenticate.
  1. Waterluvian · 1786041991 · focus · HN ↗
    Interesting point. The article linked in a sibling comment (about 2025 thefts) suggests that they are being resold. Which makes sense if it's a $2000 product that's so stealable. But I do recall there being a lot of difficulty resetting a phone that isn't yours. Do you feel the is article wrong? Are there ways around it? Is "pretty immune to reselling-theft" a newer feature than 2025?
    kotaKat · 1786045863 · focus · HN ↗
    Activation Lock now extends to the serials of the parts inside every iPhone since Apple knows the S/N of everything. If you pull the battery off an Activation Locked phone and put it in another phone it's going to freak out and complain the part is pairing-locked and won't pair to your device but it'll be baseline usable. You'll just keep getting nasty nags in the Settings letting you know you're using stolen parts.
    <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/security/activation-lock-security-sec0f8dfd030/web" rel="nofollow">https://support.apple.com/guide/security/activation-lock-sec...
    As of iOS 27 beta, there's now an additional "partner finance lock" status that will also be an available parts-lock status (to prevent a 'leased' device from being parted out).
    <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/21/ios-27-code-suggests-apple-could-restrict-leased-devices-after-missed-payments/" rel="nofollow">https://9to5mac.com/2026/07/21/ios-27-code-suggests-apple-co...
    bombcar · 1786050532 · focus · HN ↗
    If I have your unlocked iPhone, I could probably reset your Apple ID because I have access to your email and your texts so I can reset your Apple ID password unlock your phone unlock. Remove it from Find My and reset it.
    It makes me wonder if there’s some way to put a third lock on there that’s not normally unlocked.
  2. gleenn · 1786042079 · focus · HN ↗
    Bonus security on iPhone - if you long-press on any app, you can click "Require Face ID" and it will make thieves need your face again to open bank or sensitive apps. I did this for all my financial apps amd also email so they can't reset passwords. It isna minor inconvenience but would hopefully prevent an unlocked phone from being stolen and having bank accounts emptied.
    ButlerianJihad · 1786042219 · focus · HN ↗
    Android Private Space <a href="https://support.google.com/android/answer/15341885?hl=en" rel="nofollow">https://support.google.com/android/answer/15341885?hl=en
    bombcar · 1786050465 · focus · HN ↗
    The email is what most people miss. Unlocked phone = SMS and email for most people.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.