Why you have to enter your passcode when you wake up


Glenn Fleishman for Macworld:

When iOS 9 was released, Apple updated its list of cases in which iOS asks for a passcode even when Touch ID is enabled. A previously undocumented requirement asks for a passcode in a very particular set of circumstances: When the iPhone or iPad hasn't been unlocked with its passcode in the previous six days, and Touch ID hasn't been used to unlock it within the last eight hours. It's a rolling timeout, so each time Touch ID unlocks a device, a new eight-hour timer starts to tick down until the passcode is required. If you wondered why you were being seemingly randomly prompted for your passcode (or more complicated password), this is likely the reason.

Interesting development. I think I'd prefer maybe an extra hour or two just to avoid unnecessary passcode entry on a somewhat regular basis. I like the idea suggested in the column regarding including a geofence option, in addition to letting users choose their own timeout.