Apple Updates iPhone OS with Stolen Device Protection

Apple has issued an update to its latest iPhone operating system that keeps users protected from thieves with access to their passcodes.

The new feature, called Stolen Device Protection, requires users to enter their biometric information, such as a face scan or their fingerprints to access certain phone functions, like changing one's Apple ID password or removing Face ID. The protection mode activates when a phone is in an unknown location. Users will be prompted immediately and a second time, one hour later.

Apple is testing the new setting "as threats to user devices continue to evolve," an Apple spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.

A password is already required to activate any iPhone. The new feature protects users in the event that a criminal accesses their passcode.

"iPhone data encryption has long led the industry, and a thief can't access data on a stolen iPhone without knowing the user's passcode," the spokesperson said. "In the rare cases where a thief can observe the user entering the passcode and then steal the device, Stolen Device Protection adds a sophisticated new layer of protection."

Apple's Beta Software Program for iPhone Users

Apple has introduced a new feature for iPhone users, but it is not yet available to the general public. In order to test this feature, iPhone users must be members of Apple's beta software program.