Apple’s new patent allows you to bypass security locks based on location

Smartphone locking is often seen as a necessary but sometimes annoying tool. Punching in a PIN code or even using the newer fingerprint scanners can be a pain when just tooling around at home or sitting in a car. It appears Apple is looking into this issue. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple on Thursday, which details technology that can sense users’ locations and then modify their phone’s unlocking code — a smart lock, so to speak. The idea is for an iPhone to be able to recognize users’ typical locations, like their home, work, and car, based on GPS or a known WiFi network. Then, the system will adjust the level of security to unlock their phones. For example, at home, possibly no passcode would be required; in a place users go often, like a grocery store, there might be a fingerprint or simple code; and in faraway or crowded places, a higher security threshold would be necessary to unlock the phone. “Because some locations may be inherently more secure, such as a user’s home or office, these locations may be considered ‘safe’ and require less stringent security,” Apple wrote in its patent application. “It can be desirable to have decreased security requirements when the mobile device is at a secure location. Conversely, some locations may be considered higher risk or ‘unsecure.’ In these locations, it can be desirable to implement stronger security protections.”