Apple Patents Biometric Heartbeat Sensor

Apple looks to be taking security to heart, or at least heart beats, with its latest patent. The Mac and iPhone maker has apparently devised a way to track heart rates as a way to protect sensitive data stored on an iPhone, according to Patently Apple.

The patent describes a process where cardiac sensors on the iPhone record a user’s heart beat, and then use that data when verifying a user’s identity before showing protected information and documents, or placing banking transactions.

Like other patents, there’s no guarantee that the biometric heart rate sensor will appear in the iPhone any time soon, but it does give a hint at what Apple may have in store for future models.