If you are accustomed to entering a four-digit passcode on your iPhone to unlock, things are about to change.
The iOS 9 comes with several new features, one of the most prominent being enhanced security. Apple has extended the length of the passcode from four digits to six in an attempt to make it tougher for hackers to crack open a locked iPhone.
Of course, you can always use your fingerprint to unlock the iPhone but the improved security adds an extra layer of protection on new iDevices.
The introduction of a six-digit passcode in iOS 9 increases the number of possible combinations from 10,000 to one million, according to Apple, making life tough for hackers. If your iPhone is stolen, there is a longer window for you to take advantage of Apple's anti-theft tools to relocate your device before hackers can try ways to unlock.
In addition, Apple has also added two-factor authentication when users sign in from a new browser or on a new device to make sure the users' Apple ID is securely used.
While the latest improvement is seen by users as a welcome addition, government authorities will find it annoying.
Last year, FBI Director James Comey said that Apple's security on iPhones and iPads makes it difficult for them to access data on a locked device even with a warrant, ARS Technica reports.
"Seems like a good security practice to me, particularly as law enforcement agencies complain about the threat of cell phone theft," Hanni Fakhoury, an attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a former federal public defender, told ARS Technica in a statement.
"If this will deter violent crimes like robbery and secure information, than I'm all for it. Plus, while it may make it more difficult for law enforcement, it won't make it impossible and they will still have lots of techniques at their disposal to get access to information on devices."
The change in the length of passcode will affect the latest iPhone and iPad lineup, including iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3 and upcoming iPhones running iOS 9.
However, iOS 9 software will be available for all iPhones and iPads since iPhone 4S and iPad Air 2, iPad 2 and iPad mini 3.
