“Apple has been working on a new gesture-based lock screen for iOS devices that works similarly to Android’s ‘dots’ lock screen feature,” Mark Gurman reports for 9 to 5 Mac.
“The user sets up a pattern and needs to input that same pattern in, instead of a password or a four number code,” Gurman reports. “Apple has already deployed this new lock screen internally for use in the employee ‘Apple Connect’ application for iOS devices.”
Gurman reports, “There is no word on whether or not this new lock screen will make its way to iOS devices for users… The lock screen looks just like Android’s lock screen, which Google probably has patents on, so this might never see the fingers of consumers.”
Full article, which includes screenshots, here.
MacDailyNews Take: Wait, patented IP is public domain, right, Google?
The 9-point pattern unlock is less secure than a strong alphanumeric password. Apple’s likely using it internally for speed of unlocking only. If you need a stronger passcode for your iOS device: Settings>General>Passcode Lock>Simple Passcode “OFF” to set a full alphanumeric passcode.
Those pattern unlocks are a security nightmare though due to smudge patterns being easier to work out.
Locks don’t like me. So I don’t like locks. Na na na na na na na…..
Pattern unlocks are not very hard to decode. A better unlock is to have an on-screen keyboard that changes each time it appears. Such as, a numeric (or phone style) keypad where the digits (plus star, pound and letters) are in a different pattern each time. A new ‘random keypad’ setting could easily be added.
Man :/ I was hopping he would be steve’s successor.
apple sounds like it’s loosing all it’s important designers 🙁
The Jonny Ive “story” is a rumor.
Correction – “Jony”.
Jon is a design guy, not a deal maker, organizer, or visionary. He’s brilliant and his talents have helped make Apple products exquisitely desirable, but he’s not CEO material. I suspect he would agree.
Loose the hounds so we don’t lose them!
On a completely unrelated note, when will the MDN iOS app be released? Huh? I’m getting impatient…
Would you believe it if I told you that MDN is waiting to be invited on stage to present its iOS app as part of Apple’s keynote at the Yerba Buena Arts Center on March 2.
Yeah, I thought so. Now about the Jonny Ive rumor, there’s absolutely no truth in it as in why would he want to leave at the top of his game?
Jonny could design from the UK with trips to the US. The only thing that would change is “Disigned in the USA” would change to “Designed by Jonny Ives”.
“which Google probably has patents on”
Translation:
“I’m writing an article, stated something that could be verified or disproven, but didn’t feel like spending the time to fact-check. You, dear readers, can each go waste time looking this up yourselves. Or, you can waste time wondering and speculating about whether Apple might be planning to someday infringe on a patent that may or may not exist. Have fun!”
Journalism is hard, it seems.
What I really need is a way to password protect my email app WITHOUT protecting the whole iPhone. This is even more of an issue with the iPad.
I should have added that I don’t own an iPad exactly for this reason. I would want to encourage people to use my iPad, but I couldn’t just leave it lying on the coffee table in mixed company because email would have to be just as accessible as Angry Birds or whatever.
I’ll be buying an iPad 2, I’m sure, but I’ll be using webmail instead of the app.