Apple May Use Heartbeat, Voice, Face, and Behavior Analysis to Detect Unauthorized iPhone Users

Apple new patent application describes methods that may enable the iPhone and iPad to "sense" the user, detecting voice prints, faces, activity patterns and even heartbeats. If unauthorized use is detected, many security measures could be activated.

If the iOS device detects that the user is not authorized, it can start taking photos and sending them to an email account, along with GPS coordinates, keystroke logs, phone calls, and other activity. The owner would also be able to save any data remotely, and wipe out the device after that.

The patent application seems like a supercharged version of the Find My iPhone feature now available in MobileMe, coupled with new hardware and software features. While these patents may never get their way into real products, it makes sense for Apple to increase the security, especially for their increasing number of corporate clients.