The beta version of iOS 17.3 is now in the hands of developers, and a number of additional features that will be coming to your iPhone in the near future. Among them is a new "Stolen Device Protection" feature, designed to add additional security to your Apple-made ones. That's in case a criminal who steals your device somehow manages to figure out your passcode.

Apple theft has been a problem long before the iPhone was introduced. Unfortunately, there seems to be a growing tendency for thieves to spy on potential victims and try to figure out their passcode first.

Once a thief has access to your device, they have the power to reset your Apple ID credentials, turn off Find My, view your passwords, access your emails and text messages, and even access whatever other information you may have on your phone They also have the power to access any other information that may be on your phone. This has been described by thieves as "stealing your entire digital life."

Once stolen device protection is turned on, all of these additional actions require a second level of authentication with Touch ID or Face ID. Unlike unlocking the phone, there is no option to skip this by using a passcode.

Apple also states that particularly sensitive changes, such as changing the Apple ID password, will involve a security delay. This means authenticating oneself once and repeating the process an hour later. However, Apple notes that this delay does not occur if the phone is in a "familiar place," i.e., at home or at work.

The idea here is that if a thief manages to steal your phone and see your passcode, they are locked out of the main system.

According to Apple, you can view and use passwords in your iCloud keychain, apply for an Apple Card, view your virtual Apple Card, erase your device, turn off Lost Mode, certain Apple Cash and savings in Wallet, Safari payment methods Use of the iPhone to set up a new device is subject to additional biometric security.

Time-delayed authentication will also be enforced when changing Apple ID passwords, updating Apple ID security settings, changing passcodes, changing Face ID or Touch ID, turning off Find My, and turning off Stolen Device Protection.

Apple says it will reveal more details over time about how Stolen Device Protection will work, and that the feature will be available on all phones with iOS 17 (including iPhone XS and later). The feature will be an opt-in setting, and iOS 17.3 beta testers will be prompted to test the feature, but Apple claims that the public will not test it.

It is not currently known exactly when iOS 17.3 will be released to the general public, other than the fact that the rollout will begin at some point in the New Year. iOS 17.3 public beta should be released fairly soon, so if you are registered for the beta If you are registered for the beta, please keep an eye out. If not, please see our instructions on how to install the public beta of iOS 17.

For everyone else, there is iOS 17.2. This update includes features such as the Journal App, contact key verification for more secure messaging, and spatial video recording if you have an iPhone 15 Pro.