BlackBerry phones might get tap-to-unlock feature

Future BlackBerry devices could be unlocked by tapping out a secret rhythm on them with your fingers, and the patent for this new technology also outlines how a phone’s accelerometer could measure where each tap is and how hard it is to avoid duplication by radar-eared phone hackers.

This new system is certainly different from the slide-to-unlock, face recognition and PIN options currently available, but sadly there’s no guarantee that you’l be drumming out phone-based beats any time soon.

Here’s to hoping that BlackBerry take this patent all the way through to its upcoming BlackBerry 10 devices, set to be released later this year…

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Dan Grabham Editor-in-Chief

About

Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website.  Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of expertise

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home