Rumor has it that tech giant Apple is planning to add a "panic button" in the company's next- generation smartphone, the iPhone 7. A new patent of the company revealead that the rumored feature will allow users to turn off the phone in case of emergency situations, a report from Design & Trend said.
According to the report, when the "panic button" feature is activated using the phone's fingerprint Touch ID sensor, it will send its location to concerned agencies, especially if the device is stolen. Apple claims that the new Touch ID system will be activated automatically once a finger is read by the device's sensor.
"Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor is currently used only to unlock the iPhone or make purchases with Apple Pay. A patent application titled 'Fingerprint Activation Of A Panic Mode of Operation For A Mobile Device' filed by Apple and published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) shows details of the fingerprint-activated panic mode technology. The tech would not only allow users to shut down the iPhone in case it is stolen but also alerts authorities and help track down the device. Once the panic mode is enabled, the device will automatically relay its physical position to authorities who could quickly reach the owner," the report said.
Latino Health reports that the rumored "panic button" for iPhone 7 is actually an added security feature. The feature will reportedly improve the phone's general security and thwart any attempts to steal essential information from the phone. It was emphasized that once the phone is in panic mode, user's personal data such as contacts, photos, messages, among others, won't be accessed at all.
"If the iPhone 7 were to come with this feature, unlocking the phone while on panic mode may prompt the phone to activate the microphone or front camera to find out who is trying to break into the phone. The audio or video of the thief or hacker could then be sent to the police or alert various responsible personnel," the report noted.