The next iPhone has a hidden security feature that cops will hate

The iPhone X is coming, and with it a shiny new iOS for legions of Apple fans to excitedly pore over. One group that may not be so stoked on the update, however, is law enforcement. 

Two new features in the operating system will make it more difficult for investigators to access data on seized devices, and security experts are heralding it as an overdue change to how the data on our smartphones is protected — both from potential criminals and the cops.  

The first update we learned about in August: Hitting the home button five times in quick succession will disable Touch ID, requiring instead the use of a passphrase to unlock the phone. This could come in handy if, say, an activist knew his or her phone was about to be confiscated. In the U.S., police can compel people to unlock their phones with fingerprints but not with passwords.  Read more...