Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

NYPD handing out fliers encouraging iPhone owners to download iOS 7

By
apple iphone 5s screen front ios 7
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You may remember a story at the tail end of last year where New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg pointed the finger at Apple’s iPhone as a reason for a rise in the city’s crime figures.

Bloomberg said that the handset appeared to be the favored smartphone among thieves and wanted owners to be more careful with the device on the streets of the city.

Recommended Videos

“Put it in a pocket in sort of a more body-fitting, tighter clothes, that you can feel….if somebody put their hand in your pocket, not just an outside coat pocket,” the mayor said at the time.

Related

Well, it appears the New York authorities are far from done with the fight against iPhone crime, as cops in the city have reportedly been distributing fliers outside subway stations and Apple stores urging owners of the handset – and also the iPad – to upgrade to the recently released iOS 7 operating system, which comes with a new security feature called Activation Lock designed to make life a little more difficult for thieves.

The release of iOS 7 coincides with the launch of two new phones from Apple – the 5S and 5C – so presumably the NYPD expects the city’s smartphone-focused criminals will be extra keen to get their hands on the new devices in the coming weeks and months.

AllThingsD got hold of one of the fliers, which begins, “Attention Apple Users!!!!!” – yes, the message was deemed serious enough to warrant five exclamation marks – “As of Wednesday, September 18, 2013 the new iOS 7 feature brings added security to your Apple devices.”

It continued, “By downloading the new operating system, should your device be lost or stolen it cannot be reprogrammed without an Apple ID and password. The download is FREE from Apple.”

The new Activation Lock feature means an Apple ID and password is required before anyone can switch off the device’s Find My iPhone tool, wipe the phone’s data, or reactivate it. Cops sometimes use Find My iPhone to help relocate stolen devices and apprehend suspects.

Apple explains on its website that Activation Lock can “help you keep your device secure, even if it is in the wrong hands, and can improve your chances of recovering it. Even if you erase your device remotely, Activation Lock can continue to deter anyone from reactivating your device without your permission. All you need to do is keep Find My iPhone turned on, and remember your Apple ID and password.”

While Apple executives will surely be delighted to learn that cops in the city are going around effectively promoting the tech company’s latest mobile operating system on its behalf, it’s not clear how the majority of the city’s residents feel about the law enforcement officers’ novel approach to fighting crime.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The 10 best photo editing apps for Android and iOS in 2024
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and Google Pixel 8 Pro Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Smartphones tend to have pretty good camera systems these days, whether you're talking about the very latest Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or the iPhone 14. But even the perfect photo can sometimes need a little additional pizazz. A little extra sparkle can come in the form of a simple color filter, artificially added background blur, or can extend as far as diving into an image's levels and other advanced features. Heck, now that we're in the AI era, it can also include using a tool to transpose yourself into a medieval setting or swapping a face with a friend.

Read more
This one thing could make iOS 18 the best iPhone update in years
The Home Screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple’s WWDC 2024 is just a couple of months away. As with every WWDC, we’ll see what Apple has in store for the next generation of software across its hardware portfolio, including the iPhone with iOS 18.

Rumors have been swirling about iOS 18 and how it will be “one of the biggest updates yet.” We know some features like RCS support in Messages are definitely coming, with other whispers of big home screen customization changes and more.

Read more
How to add a different home screen wallpaper on iOS 17
An iPhone with iOS 16, showing the new Lock Screen.

If you haven't used an iPhone in a while, or if you haven't tried to update your lock screen, they you might be happy to learn about some of the new customization features that are available in iOS 17. Although iOS has made some controversial changes to its UI, such as moving the notifications to the bottom of the lock screen, they are also more welcome changes to the customization options for the lock screen.

Introduced in iOS 16 was a slew of lock screen customization features to let you tweak your phone's lock screen to your liking, and these same features are available in iOS 17 as well. While the lock screen used to be just a static image, you can now make it more dynamic with options like cycling through collections of your photos, so you can show off your favorite photos of your pets, your family, or beautiful locations that you've visited.

Read more