Apple's iOS 18 Sparks Fears Of Increased Cheating, But Are They Valid?

At WWDC 2024, Apple spent a considerable amount of time discussing all the new features of iOS 18. Due for release later this year, iOS 18 is being touted as one of the most comprehensive updates that the iOS platform has ever received. Among the newest features making it to iOS 18 include the ability to place app icons anywhere the user wants, support for RCS messaging, better photo organization on Apple Photos, and the ability to mirror your iPhone screen on a Mac.

While generally considered to be a much more secure and privacy-focused platform than Android, iOS did have a couple of glaring omissions as far as privacy-focused features are concerned. For example, the platform did not have a polished, easy-to-use password manager or a two-factor authenticator tool. iOS also did not allow users to "Lock" specific apps — a feature that has been around for more than a decade on Android.

With iOS 18, Apple seems to have taken several steps in order to fix these issues. To begin with, Apple has confirmed RCS Support, its customization features are as comprehensive as Android, and there are even more privacy focused features that will only make life easier for iOS users around the globe.

But, did Apple go overboard with some of its new privacy focused features? Soon after Apple shared details about all the privacy focused feature additions to iOS 18, there has been an increase in the number of people who believe that some of Apple's newly added privacy features may make it easier for people to cheat. Let's investigate.

Apple's decision to introduce the "App lock" and "Hide apps" features on iOS 18 have led to a situation where people found themselves divided into two camps. While one set of users appreciate the added privacy and are already looking for ways to use the app lock feature on their iPhones, there is a different set of users that have already begun looking for ways to get around this "problem."

SlashGear analyzed search trends over the past week, and we couldn't help but notice a sizable jump in the number of people typing in specific search queries that were directly linked to these new iOS 18 privacy features. For example, there has been a 1,250% increase in the number of people typing in "How to hide apps on iOS" since Apple announced these features at WWDC 2024. Search terms like "how to tell if your husband is cheating on you" and "how can I find out if my husband is cheating" have also spiked by 200% during the same window. Then there is a specific set of users that want to know how to unhide hidden apps on iPhone, the search terms for which have gone up by 80%.

People also seem to be turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help them catch prospective cheating partners, with the biggest beneficiary being services like Cheater Buster AI. This service claims to use AI and lets users find out whether their partners are cheating on them. Search volume for the term "Cheater Buster AI" has increased by 500% ever since Apple announced these new features for iOS 18.

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.