The patent proposes a panic mode that would alert friends and family that the user could be in danger, as well as possibly flash a light and emit “a noise similar to that produced by a vehicle alarm” to deter criminals.
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Bizarrely, that last one could be true, because Apple has filed a patent for a panic button built into the iPhone’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
The patent even details an option of having different panic modes depending on which finger is placed on the sensor.
While going into this panic mode, the front-facing camera could also activate and take pictures or video of the culprit.
The next on the list seems to be the keyboard which, according to a new patent, might receive the 3D Touch treatment sometime in the near future.
Panic mode is primarily created to protect both user data and the mobile device from theft and as such when a device is unlocked in panic mode, personal information such as contacts, messages and media remain locked down.
The Cupertino giant will likely feature this technology in the forthcoming iPhone 7, rumors of which have already started floating around. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has patented. The most obvious one is that it limits access to your personal data on the iPhone in case someone tries to steal your phone. That still doesn’t mean it will happen – Apple patents things all the time, and a lot of them never see the light of day.
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PatentlyApple has found out that Apple was granted another patent this week that allows for the creation of what’s being called an “ultra-low travel keyboard with 3D touch functionality”. There’s always a chance they could spark ire from users, and in turn push advertisers away, but that just depends on how well they’re implemented and if they become distracting or not. Moreover, entering the phone on a panic mode could also fire up the iPhone’s microphone, thus allowing you to secretly describe your attacker.
