Samsung Electronics adds some anti-theft solutions to their new release Galaxy S5. They are plannin g to add two safeguards to its latest smartphone in an effort to find the stolen mobile devices nationwide.
The world’s largest mobile-phone maker said users will be able to activate
for free its “Find My Mobile” and “Reactivation Lock” anti-theft features, soon-to-be-released
Galaxy S5.
The features that will lock the phone if there’s an unauthorized attempt to
reset it will be on models sold by wireless carriers Verizon and U.S. Cellular.
The phones go on sale next week.
Apple created a similar “activation lock” feature for the popular iPhone last year.
The company says that, “Samsung takes the issue of smartphone theft very
seriously, and we are continuing to enhance our security and anti-theft
solutions”.
The announcement comes as San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, New
York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and other U.S. law enforcement
officials demand that manufacturers create kill switches to combat surging smartphone
theft across the country.
Earlier this week, California legislators introduced a bill that, if
passed, would require mobile devices sold in or shipped in the state be
equipped with the anti-theft devices starting next year – a move that could be
the first of its kind in the United States.
Similar legislation is being
considered in New York, Illinois, Minnesota, and bills have been introduced in
both houses of Congress.
In July, Samsung officials told Gascon’s office that the major
carriers were resisting using kill switches. However, Gascon and Schneiderman
said in a joint statement Friday that Samsung’s latest move sends a strong
message that the wireless industry can work together to make consumers safe.
The prosecutors have given the manufacturers a June deadline to find solutions
to curb smartphone theft.
“More work needs to be done to ensure that these solutions come
standard on every device, but these companies have done the right thing by
responding to our call for action,” the prosecutors said. “No family should
lose a mother, a father, a son or a daughter for their phone. Manufacturers and
carriers need to put public safety before corporate profits and stop this
violent epidemic, which has put millions of smartphone users at risk.”
Almost one in three U.S. robberies involve phone theft, according to the
Federal Communications Commission. Lost and stolen mobile devices – mostly
smartphones – cost consumers more than $30 billion in 2012, the agency said in
a study.
CTIA-The Wireless Association, a trade group for wireless providers, has
said a permanent kill switch has serious risks, including potential
vulnerability to hackers who could disable mobile devices and lock out not only
individuals’ phones but also phones used by entities such as the Department of
Defense, Homeland Security and law enforcement.
The association created a national stolen phone database last year to
remove any market for stolen smartphones.
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