Apple’s latest data reveals 23% of iPhone users may be easier targets for thieves – Automated Home

Apple’s latest iPhone security data shows a meaningful gap among users in the U.K. Apple told Forbes that 77% of devices running the latest version of iOS in the U.K. have Stolen Device Protection enabled, leaving 23% without that extra anti-theft layer.

That matters because Stolen Device Protection is designed for a specific theft scenario: someone steals an iPhone after learning the passcode. With phone snatching still a major concern in England and Wales, the feature can give users more time to lock down their Apple Account and personal data.

Apple data reveals theft risk among iPhone users

Apple told Forbes that 77% of devices running the latest version of iOS in the U.K. have Stolen Device Protection enabled. That means 23% of those devices do not have the feature active, leaving them without an added safeguard against thieves who know the device passcode.

The House of Commons Library, citing Crime Survey for England and Wales data, says an estimated 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched in the year ending March 2024. That equals about 200 snatch thefts a day and represents a 153% increase from the year ending March 2023.

U.K. police have also linked some stolen phones to organized export networks. In October 2025, the Metropolitan Police said it had disrupted a criminal network suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen phones from the U.K. to China over the previous year.

U.K. theft surge context behind rising concern

Recent crime statistics show a sustained surge in phone-related thefts across urban areas, driven largely by opportunistic snatch incidents where thieves target unlocked or easily accessible smartphones in crowded transport hubs, shopping districts, and busy streets during peak commuting hours in major cities.

Police and government reporting show that some phone theft is connected to wider resale networks, including overseas markets for stolen handsets. However, not every phone theft should be described as part of an organized gang operation.

For consumers, this escalation means stolen devices are no longer just isolated losses, but entry points into wider digital ecosystems, potentially exposing email accounts, payment wallets, stored credentials, and connected smart home platforms tied to the same Apple ID credentials used across devices.

Little-known fact: Based on 12 months of tracking 106,000 reported phone thefts, only about 495 people were charged or given a police caution, according to investigations by The New York Times.

What is Stolen Device Protection on iPhone?

Stolen Device Protection is a security feature introduced with iOS 17.3 in January 2024 that adds biometric-enforced safeguards to iPhones, ensuring sensitive account actions require Face ID or Touch ID even when a passcode is known by a potential attacker with physical access.

The feature applies to iPhone XS and newer models, including second- and third-generation iPhone SE models. Apple says it might be turned on by default for some users, and by default, the extra security measures apply only away from familiar locations.

It was developed in response to reports of passcode compromise attacks where criminals observed users entering codes in public spaces before immediately stealing devices and accessing sensitive data, highlighting a growing real-world security gap before remote lock features could take effect.

Little-known fact: Apple says Stolen Device Protection can require Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback for actions like viewing saved passwords or payment methods.

How Stolen Device Protection works on iPhone

When enabled, Stolen Device Protection uses location awareness to distinguish familiar environments such as home and work from unfamiliar locations, automatically tightening security requirements whenever the user is outside trusted zones to reduce the risk of unauthorized access in real-world scenarios.

Critical actions such as changing Apple ID passwords, accessing stored payment methods, or viewing iCloud Keychain credentials require biometric authentication without fallback passcodes, significantly reducing the chances of exploitation by anyone who has physical access to the device during or after theft.

Comparison with Activation Lock protection

Activation Lock differs from Stolen Device Protection by focusing on preventing device reactivation after a factory reset, requiring the owner’s Apple ID credentials before any new setup can proceed, effectively rendering stolen hardware unusable for resale or reuse in secondary markets.

Unlike Activation Lock, which is tied to Find My, Stolen Device Protection focuses on cases where a thief already knows the passcode and tries to change sensitive account or device settings. Apple says the feature might be turned on by default for some users, but users can also enable it manually in Settings.

Why 23 percent matters for iPhone security

The 23 percent figure highlights a behavioral gap where users assume baseline iPhone security is sufficient, despite evolving theft techniques that exploit momentary access to unlocked devices in crowded public environments and increasingly sophisticated urban crime patterns.

Smart home users face additional risk because iPhones often serve as authentication hubs for connected ecosystems, meaning a compromised device can expose home automation controls, security cameras, and digital payment systems linked through Apple ID and third-party integrations across platforms.

Users without Stolen Device Protection lose an extra layer of defense in passcode-compromise theft scenarios. The feature cannot stop every theft, but it can make it harder for someone who knows the passcode to change critical Apple Account or device settings.

How to secure your iPhone effectively

Users can enable Stolen Device Protection by opening Settings, selecting Face ID and Passcode or Touch ID and Passcode, entering their device passcode, and activating the feature through a simple toggle designed for quick security improvement within seconds.

Two configuration modes are available, allowing users to either restrict activation to unfamiliar locations or enable continuous protection at all times, providing flexibility based on travel habits, work environments, and personal security preferences across different usage scenarios.

TL;DR

• Apple data shows 23 percent of iPhone users in the United Kingdom have not enabled Stolen Device Protection, leaving a significant portion of devices exposed to passcode-based theft techniques in real-world conditions.
• Stolen Device Protection uses biometric authentication, location awareness, and timed security delays to prevent unauthorized access even when thieves physically obtain a user’s unlocked device and know the passcode.
• Use the House of Commons Library / ONS-backed figure: 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched in the year ending March 2024, equal to 200 a day, up 153% year over year.
• Enabling Stolen Device Protection alongside Activation Lock, strong passcodes, and Apple ecosystem security tools significantly strengthens overall protection against theft and unauthorized device access attempts.

This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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