iOS 27.2 beta 2 includes new details of an iPhone anti-snatching feature, plus a first look at more changes coming to Apple Music, Shortcuts, and more
iOS 27.2 beta code suggests Apple might soon launch a thief-thwarting tool, along with upgrades to Shortcuts, Apple Music, and CarPlay Ultra.
The second iOS 27.2 developer beta 2 has been released, revealing several upcoming features for the upcoming iOS update. One of these features is an anti-snatching tool, called 'AutoLock' internally at Apple, designed to lock the phone if it detects a sharp grab or if it's disconnected from an Apple Watch. This feature is similar to Android's Theft Detection Lock and would use various signals to determine if the phone has been stolen, including sharp acceleration, loss of connectivity to a paired Apple Watch, prolonged loss of network activity, or the device remaining unlocked for a certain period of time.
The code also suggests there are safeguards in place to prevent false positives, such as successful biometric authentication or certain innocent app activities that could mimic signs of theft.
Other hidden features in the beta include a new album release countdown in Apple Music, featuring a very satisfying numeric text content transition, and the ability to support actions from third-party apps in Shortcuts through a new 'Describe a Shortcut' tool. This will allow users to include third-party apps in shortcuts built using natural language, instead of the traditional shortcut builder.
Finally, there's evidence that CarPlay Ultra will soon offer a 'Drive Mode Theme', enabling users to change various elements like gauge style and color. However, it's important to note that while Apple seems to be working on these features, there's no guarantee of their launch date or if they'll be made available to all iPhone users.
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