New iPhone Setting Lets Users Shake Off Motion-Sensing Ads

Wednesday September 23, 2026 4:49 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

iOS 27 Apple is testing an iPhone setting for users in China that lets them add apps to a list that prevents them from accessing the device's motion sensors. Apple hasn't explicitly said what the setting is in response to, but Chinese apps sometimes show "shake-to-open" ads on launch, and they can be triggered by merely picking up an iPhone, walking, or going over a bump in a car, resulting in unwanted redirects.

Users in China speculate this is why iOS 27.2 beta 2 includes the new "Restrict Motion Data" option in Settings that blocks app access to accelerometer and gyroscope data. For now, the option appears tied to mainland China App Store accounts, and we don't expect it will be available to iPhone users more broadly when iOS 27.2 is released later this year.

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Top Rated Comments

boswald

4 weeks ago

This is why I don't install any apps and just use the website for everything. Apps these days are nothing more than data farms and adware.

Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Hammerd

4 weeks ago

Some developers have always been very creative at shoving annoying ads and telemetry down our throats

Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)

polyphenol

4 weeks ago

Apple is testing ('https://www.ithome.com/1/006/022.htm') an iPhone setting for users in China that lets them add apps to a list that prevents them from accessing the device's motion sensors. Apple hasn't explicitly said what the setting is in response to, but Chinese apps sometimes show "shake-to-open" ads on launch, and they can be triggered by merely picking up an iPhone, walking, or going over a bump in a car, resulting in unwanted redirects.

Users in China speculate this is why iOS 27.2 beta 2 includes the new "Restrict Motion Data" option in Settings that blocks app access to accelerometer and gyroscope data. For now, the option appears tied to mainland China App Store accounts, and we don't expect it will be available to iPhone users more broadly when iOS 27.2 is released later this year.

Article Link: New iPhone Setting Lets Users Shake Off Motion-Sensing Ads ('https://www.geekwebguides.com/2026/09/23/iphone-setting-shake-off-motion-sensing-ads/')

It is difficult to imagine a legitimate use for this. Every app should require express permission to access such features.

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ckoerner

4 weeks ago

“Chinese apps sometimes show "shake-to-open" ads on launch, and they can be triggered by merely picking up an iPhone, walking, or going over a bump in a car, resulting in unwanted redirects.”

What dystopian hell is this ****‽ seriously, I don’t understand what “shake-to-open” means.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

CarAnalogy

4 weeks ago

“Chinese apps sometimes show "shake-to-open" ads on launch, and they can be triggered by merely picking up an iPhone, walking, or going over a bump in a car, resulting in unwanted redirects.”

What dystopian hell is this ****‽ seriously, I don’t understand what “shake-to-open” means.

Honestly it sounds to me like a euphemism. Anything triggered to go off when the motion sensor detects motion is a trap set by malware.

I'm honestly surprised we haven't seen this in the US. This absolutely needs to be protected by a permission, and I do hope this ships globally. Better to have now before it's actually more needed, to nip this abusive behavior in the bud.

Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Casshan

4 weeks ago

“Chinese apps sometimes show "shake-to-open" ads on launch, and they can be triggered by merely picking up an iPhone, walking, or going over a bump in a car, resulting in unwanted redirects.”

What dystopian hell is this ****‽ seriously, I don’t understand what “shake-to-open” means.

I think it means you don’t have to tap on an ad, merely shaking the phone opens it. Of course false-positives are the point.

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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New iPhone Setting Lets Users Shake Off Motion-Sensing Ads

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