Apple's latest iOS 18 security feature, which reboots iPhones that haven't been unlocked in a few days, is causing frustration among police forces by complicating efforts to access suspects' devices.

404 Media explained that once restarted, iPhones enter a more secure "Before First Unlock" (BFU) state. This heightened security measure appears to be part of an "inactivity reboot" code introduced in iOS 18.1, which forces iPhones to restart after being locked for four days.

Both iOS and Android devices enter the BFU state upon restarting, necessitating the entry of a passcode or PIN to unlock the phone. This requirement significantly limits the type of data that forensic experts can extract. In some cases this might put criminals back on the streets.

The Tame Apple Press [TAPS] is doing its best to put a positive spin on the situation claiming it is all part of Apple’s super cool iPhone security which has often putting the company at odds with law enforcement agencies.  Apple, TAPS claims, is protecting users from having their Coldplay collections being stolen by police. They cite a war where police want to install backdoors into Apple gear so that they can carry on with fighting crime.

However, what has been happening is that, rather than let criminals go, Police have been hiring security people to find holes in Apple software and not telling anyone.