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Apple says the average iPhone is unlocked 80 times a day

Apple says the average iPhone is unlocked 80 times a day

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A majority of people use TouchID or a passcode

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Apple on Friday divulged a fascinating iPhone statistic: owners unlock their device, on average, 80 times a day. The company disclosed the figure during a press briefing centered on the many layers of iPhone security it employs to protect customers — and keep governments out. (Apple also used the time to hammer home its stance in the ongoing encryption debate putting tech companies at odds with organizations like the FBI.)

The number was relevant to the conversation because around 89 percent of iPhone owners use either a fingerprint to unlock their device with TouchID or a multi-digit numeric passcode, Apple said. That's a lot of people taking cybersecurity seriously. Venture capitalist Mary Meeker's 2013 internet trends report said people tend to at least check their phone up to 150 times a day, considering you can look at lock-screen notifications to, say, read a text message or check who sent you an email without unlocking the device. So 80 unlocks from there doesn't sound too far off.

Of course, you can read the stat another way. While it's a victory for cybersecurity specialists that a vast majority of consumers use biometric identification and hack-proof pin codes, we're also hopelessly addicted to being wired during nearly every minute of every day. At least we're more secure, for now.


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