Apple is exploring new security measures in Apple's retail stores to try to stop and prevent smash-and-grab behavior. In a patent discovered by Patently Apple filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) called "Product-Display System," Apple details some of the mechanical systems used to protect the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
The patent actually involves fixing the "fixer" and "display pole" to large tables in the Apple Store, which will have a "fixing bracket" to hold the device in place. Some devices may have a retractable "fixing cord" attached to the bracket to provide power and allow customers to pick up the device. A magnet placed on the top of the display bar ensures that the device can return to its intended position.
In order to maintain safety and become more aesthetically pleasing, in the installation system, "no fasteners of the retainer can be seen or touched". The rods and brackets are much heavier than the tethers currently used to secure Apple Store devices, with the aim of making it harder for thieves to disassemble the devices and thus prevent robbery attempts from occurring.
Apple has tried to remove security tethers from some of its stores, but the company has suffered a lot of smashing and looting in recent years. The patent doesn't confirm that Apple will implement bulky security keepers in its retail stores, but it's still a possibility given that the solution is fully developed. While Apple devices have automatically gone into lost mode when the store is stolen, meaning the device is out of service, the filing suggests that more basic robbery prevention is still an area the company is working into.
According to Apple Store enthusiast Michael Steeber on Twitter, the installation system outlined in the patent is already being used by some Apple retail partners and authorized resellers.