Bangalore: Apple is to replace passcode unlocking feature on i- devices: iPhones, iPads, Macs and others, with a new system based on image recognition, according to a patent filing, reports The Telegraph.

The proposed technology is said to show some random picture of one of the user’s contacts and display set of names on the screen, upon a correct selection of name with touch or voice input, the device gets unlocked.

Apple, applied for patenting this idea in 2011, and it was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week.

The company said its present passcode system could be easily circumvented by thieves or hacks. "Users sometimes misplace their handheld devices or inadvertently leave them in public places," Apple said.

"To dissuade thieves from stealing handheld devices (or people from accessing their friends' devices), many software manufacturers require a user to provide input that 'unlocks' the handheld device. Such input may be a passcode of four or more characters."

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