With iOS 18, once a user sets a lock on an app, they shall be required to use one of the many authentication features to access that app again. Locking an app would also prevent apps from appearing in search results, and notifications sent by the app would be muted. While this is a great feature, there is no denying that these could also potentially make life easier for people intending to cheat.
Twitter likes are private, iOS 18 is adding the feature to hide apps/ lock them. They are making cheating easy for these men smh
— Niya (@ShaniyaS95) June 12, 2024
If an App Lock feature wasn’t enough, there is also an additional concern in the form of hidden apps — a feature that will let the phone users create a hidden folder populated with apps that they do not want others to see. This feature could potentially encourage users to install dating apps on their iPhones, without anyone noticing.
iOS 18 will add a new way to hide an app. I am going to see a lot more cheating stories in my timeline.
— Alexius Aditya (@adidlucu) June 11, 2024
Despite these apparent shortcomings, in the larger context, these new privacy focused iOS 18 features are a step in the right direction for Apple. The company already has several privacy focused features, and these fresh additions will only enhance its reputation as a player that values privacy over everything else. There is also no denying that many of these features are already available for Android smartphones, meaning that people with a tendency to cheat would do so anyway by simply switching to a non-iOS device.
Besides these obvious problems, there are several advantages to adopting stringent privacy measures. For example, features like the App Lock and Hidden Folders could potentially help victims of spousal abuse be safe; this feature may also let activists hide encrypted messaging services like Signal inside a hidden folder, giving them an additional safety net from tyrannical governments and agencies.
