Apple’s shiny new smartwatch might be winning over early adopters – might being the operative word, many early reviews noted that it feels like a work in progress – but it’s unfortunately not smart enough to employ basic safety precautions.
As spotted by iDownload, would-be thieves don’t need any sort of expertise to reset a stolen Apple Watch, after which they are free to pair it with their own iPhone, or sell it on for someone else to do the same.
Ironically, Apple does ask you to enter a passcode if it’s removed from your wrist, to prevent any of your data falling into the wrong hands, in the case of something like a robbery, but there’s no protection against simply wiping it and starting again.
We’ve contacted Apple to see if there’s an update due to roll out to fix this issue but haven’t yet received a response.
The 💜 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
➤ Watch OS 1.0 lacks the necessary security features to dissuade thieves [iDownload Blog via 9 to 5 Mac]
Read next: 11 things I learned during two weeks with an Apple Watch
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.