Survey finds almost all consumers want the ability to remotely kill a stolen cellphone
Technology that remotely makes a stolen smartphone useless could save American consumers up to $2.6 billion per year if it is implemented widely and leads to a reduction in theft of phones, according to a new report.
Law enforcement officials and politicians are pressuring cellular carriers to make such technology standard on all phones shipped in the U.S. in response to the increasing number of smartphone thefts. They believe the so-called "kill switch" would reduce the number of thefts if stolen phones were routinely locked so they became useless.
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The inclusion of a "Kill Switch" should be obvious to anyone, why they have delayed it to me seems to be crazy.
Smartphone kill-switch could save consumers $2.6B per year
Userlevel 7
+54
Userlevel 5
ehh I could think of a few amusing ways to exploit a kill switch feature....
Userlevel 7
A mobile version of Cryptocker type? Pay up or the kill-switch will be engaged?
Userlevel 5
yep that's one of em, think of all the $ you could make with that, esp if the kill switch perma bricks the phone
personally I don't want a kill switch on my phone. I'm perffectly capable of not losing my stuff/getting it stolen.
personally I don't want a kill switch on my phone. I'm perffectly capable of not losing my stuff/getting it stolen.
Userlevel 7
The following article is a update on ill switch for smartphone
(California Nears Smartphone Kill Switch)
By: Eric Zeman Posted on 8/12/2014
California is on the brink of becoming the first state to require kill switches in smartphones. The state's senate passed a bill this week mandating the security change, and it is now up to Governor Jerry Brown to sign it and make it law. The state's efforts are laudable, but may be moot at this point.
The law has been years in the making. Lawmakers in California and New York are looking to curb the theft of smartphones, which has spiked in recent years. Smartphones are easy pickings when left unattended on tables in coffee shops, restaurants, and bars, and they are often snatched out of owners' hands by brazen thieves on the street and in subways. According to the NYPD, 8,000 Apple products -- mostly iPhones -- were stolen in New York City during 2013. Some of the robberies led to injuries and even deaths.
InformationWeek/ Full Article Here/ http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/california-nears-smartphone-kill-switch/d/d-id/1297935
(California Nears Smartphone Kill Switch)
By: Eric Zeman Posted on 8/12/2014
California is on the brink of becoming the first state to require kill switches in smartphones. The state's senate passed a bill this week mandating the security change, and it is now up to Governor Jerry Brown to sign it and make it law. The state's efforts are laudable, but may be moot at this point.
The law has been years in the making. Lawmakers in California and New York are looking to curb the theft of smartphones, which has spiked in recent years. Smartphones are easy pickings when left unattended on tables in coffee shops, restaurants, and bars, and they are often snatched out of owners' hands by brazen thieves on the street and in subways. According to the NYPD, 8,000 Apple products -- mostly iPhones -- were stolen in New York City during 2013. Some of the robberies led to injuries and even deaths.
InformationWeek/ Full Article Here/ http://www.informationweek.com/mobile/mobile-devices/california-nears-smartphone-kill-switch/d/d-id/1297935
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