Apple Watch: the next target of thieves

Our iPhones are protected with the iCloud lock, a security measure that arrived in 2013 that prevents thieves from using an Apple device with a new account. But, from the looks of it, the latest gadget to reach the bitten apple family doesn't currently use this system. Are we facing a serious security breach or is it really not necessary an anti-theft system in a watch?

The iCloud lock helped thieves stop seeing that device worth stealing on the iPhone, causing robberies to drop between 25% and 40% in cities like San Francisco and up to 50% in London. It's nothing short of surprising that Apple didn't include it on the Apple Watch.

What is the problem?

Everything seems to indicate that Apple "has forgotten" to add the iCloud lock to your Apple Watch, which makes it possible to Anyone who steals or finds a Cupertino smartwatch can delete everything related to the previous owner of the device and pair it with their own iPhone.

What security system does the Apple Watch include?

The Apple Watch has a security code in the form of a number sequence (better known as PIN) that will be required every time we remove it from the wrist, but this code only protects the data.

The problem with using only this system, and I think that Apple has screwed up there, is that the code can be skipped with something as simple as resetting the Apple Watch. Pressing the side button for a few seconds we will see that the shutdown options appear and, touching and holding the finger on the screen, we can access a option that will allow us to remove all content and settings. By deleting all the content, what we do is a restoration of the watch, so the security code will no longer exist and the "lucky" new owner of the Apple Watch will be able to use it without any trace that it has been used previously. There is still a no less serious problem: We do not have the option to search for the Apple Watch with Find My iPhone, so we will not have the slightest opportunity to get our watch back if it is lost or stolen.

Is it necessary to add more security to the Apple Watch?

This can be up for debate. There are people who think that the Apple Watch is a watch and that, as a watch, you do not need an extra security system to prevent theft. They even put much more expensive watches as an example that do not have even the slightest security. Forgive me, but I don't agree, far from it. We are talking about a smart intelligence, not a watch. These watches have software, they have an internet connection and, in short, they have the means to deter thieves from stealing the device or, if it has already been stolen, from locating it.. It is also true that we are in the Watch OS 1.0.1 version, but it is not the same to start in the world of mobile devices as when the iPhone was launched in 2007 than to make a portable device that already has examples to base it on. In my opinion, Yes, it is necessary to add more security to Apple Watch.

Future of the Apple Watch in terms of security

Everything seems to indicate that, in the coming weeks, Apple Watch will be the target of thieves around the world. We are talking about a fashionable device, with a high, small price, that can be easily sold since it is an Apple product (they sell well in second-hand markets) and on top of that there is no possibility of it being remotely blocked. Plus, it's an easy target for some mainstream watch thieves. Most likely, Apple is already aware of all this and offers us a solution that is more short-term than long-term. It will not be in the Watch OS 1.0.2 version, since it will be a minor update to improve the system, but perhaps we will have a solution to the problem in Watch OS 1.1. I hope so, for the sake of users who do not think about stealing or keeping what is not ours.