Apple adds 'police button' feature to iPhones that lets you quickly switch off the fingerprint scanner
- New feature will allow users to temporarily disable TouchID on their iPhones
- It also brings up the option to quickly call emergency services by swiping right
- 'Emergency SOS' will stop users from being forced to access their devices
Apple's new operating system will come with an option to lock your iPhone's fingerprint scanner and bring up a hotline to the police.
The 'Emergency SOS' feature was uncovered by programmers with access to the beta version of iOS 11.
They found that TouchID was temporarily disabled by rapidly hitting the power button five times.
This means that users could not be forced to unlock their phones by attackers or thieves.
The new feature will allow users temporarily disable the TouchID feature, which means people could not be forced to unlock their phones by attackers or thieves
The 'Emergency SOS' feature was uncovered by programmers with access to the beta version of iOS 11. It also brings up a shortcut to dial emergency services
-
Silicon Valley wages war on neo-Nazis: Tech giants including... 
Stop monkeying about! Romany the capuchin grabs keeper's... 
'Where's the selfie button?': Hilarious video shows... 
Apple pays just 1p in tax for every £1 earned in Britain:... -
Kim takes a bite out of Apple: North Korea launches its own...
Share this article
It also brings up a shortcut to dial emergency services, allowing the user to simply swipe right to dial 999.
TouchID is then reactivated by entering your password.
On activation, the Emergency SOS feature will send a message to the user's saved emergency contacts, and also shares their location.
The feature will be available on new iPhone models when i0S 11 is publicly released later this year, The Verge reported.
On activation, the Emergency SOS feature will send a message to the user's saved emergency contacts, and also shares their location
It could be a desirable asset for iPhone 8 buyers, which is rumoured to offer facial recognition unlocking.
However, concerns have been raised over the potential for users being forced to unlock their phones using facial recognition.
Emergency SOS will allow the person using it to quickly disable the instant-unlock capabilities, should they believe someone might try and forcibly bypass their phone's security.
The iOS 11 operating system is expected to be released alongside the iPhone 8 in September.
ENCRYPTION, PRIVACY AND THE FBI: WHY COOK WOULDN'T BUDGE ON A 'BACKDOOR'
Apple CEO Tim Cook said previously that he won't weaken the unbreakable encryption technology on Apple products
Unlocking phones using fingerprints and encrypted messaging have remained controversial issues since Apple launched TouchID in 2014.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said previously that he won't weaken the unbreakable encryption technology on Apple products to allow the US government to access iMessages because it could actually damage national security.
Cook said he will not create a 'back door' for the government unless Apple is served with a warrant.
Apple's encryption technology makes it impossible for anyone but the intended recipient to see a message and it's so strong even the company can’t get to communications.
Ex-FBI Director James Comey, former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and others had all called for Apple and other tech companies to create ways to access messages sent by suspected criminals.
Apple's encryption technology makes it impossible for anyone but the intended recipient to see a message and it's so strong even the company can’t get to communications
Cook explained that his stance on the powerful encryption doesn't just come down to the issue of privacy versus national security and that since 'we're America' that 'we should have both'.
Cook said: 'If the government lays a proper warrant on us today then we will give the specific information that is requested.
'Because we have to by law.
'In the case of encrypted communication, we don't have it to give.
'And so if like your iMessages are encrypted, we don't have access to those.
The Apple CEO added: 'There have been people that suggest that we should have a back door.
'But the reality is if you put a back door in, that back door's for everybody, for good guys and bad guys.'
Most watched News videos
- Shocking moment woman is abducted by man in Oregon
- Columbia protester calls Jewish donor 'a f***ing Nazi'
- Wills' rockstar reception! Prince of Wales greeted with huge cheers
- Moment escaped Household Cavalry horses rampage through London
- Vacay gone astray! Shocking moment cruise ship crashes into port
- New AI-based Putin biopic shows the president soiling his nappy
- Rayner says to 'stop obsessing over my house' during PMQs
- Ammanford school 'stabbing': Police and ambulance on scene
- Shocking moment pandas attack zookeeper in front of onlookers
- Shadow Transport Secretary: Labour 'can't promise' lower train fares
- All the moments King's Guard horses haven't kept their composure
- Prison Break fail! Moment prisoners escape prison and are arrested
