My question would be, what is preventing apple from an option to allow your phone to only power off after entering a passcode? This would basically prevent the ability to turn it off (so that Find My iPhone can't locate it) and offer an increased chance to find the phone. The only way Find My iPhone would not work would be if it powered down, obviously...
Thoughts?
You can suggest it https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html
So if you can't power down without entering a code, the phone will eventually die if you aren't able to track it before then. It does sound like a good idea but Find My iPhone will only work as great if data and location is on to track it before it lost or stolen.
Brilliant idea.
So the thief only waits till it runs out of battery, a couple of hours in some cases, less in most. And if he doesn't want to wait that long he removes the SIM, which also renders the phone incommunicado; the same result as having the phone off. And then, we will have to deal with all of the "I forgot my passcode and I can't power down my iPhone" complaints on this forum.
Find my iPhone was not meant to be an anti theft deterrent; it is an aid to help the user find a misplaced phone. The anti theft deterrent is already enabled and it is called Activation lock, which by the look of things is already deterring iPhone thefts.
Here is an example to better explain what I am trying to convey:
My friend's phone was stolen just yesterday as we were playing basketball. We were fairly certain who took the phone. We turned on Find My iPhone, only to find that the thief had turned the phone off, so it could no longer be tracked. If he did not have the ability to do so (passcode blocking the power off), we could have contacted the police (which we did), and could have tracked the phone.
The idea is that instead of the window to use the app in the thief's hands (i.e he/she turning it off), it now enters into the hands of the battery life.
We understand the idea. It just isn't a very good one.
I know exactly what you mean, but your idea is impractical because of the issues as I have explained in my post. I'm sure if you look in this forum, you are not the first person to suggest this and there are probably many more reasons in those threads as to why the idea is not a good one in the first place.
Not that it is any consolation, but the thief will have to get past the passcode in order to use it, and if it is restored as new the phone will be useless as it will have activation lock enabled (assuming iOS 7 is installed).
You asked for opinions and you have to be ready to receive both pro and con opinions. In any case this thread is probably already close to violating the TOS which we all agreed to when we signed up. Don't be surprised if it gets deleted by the moderators. There are other forums on the web, where I'm sure discussions like this one are very lively.
If you still think your idea is good, then tell Apple and click on the link that Mac. Dee has provided. Apple does not read and does not participate in this forum.
I understand what you're saying, and I appreciate the feedback. 🙂
I'd indeed say the idea is not as revolutionary as OP may think but it may add extra time for the iphone to be found by whoever lost it.
Actually it would cause far more support issues than it is worth.
Idea to prevent phone theft
