Apple's decision to integrate a form of kill switch in iPhones has paid off as the new crime data report shows a sharp decline in robberies and thefts of iPhones.
Kill Switch integration in smartphones was deemed as a beneficiary move by the authorities to control theft and robberies. Now, one year after the "Secure Our Smartphone" initiative began, the crime data report backs those claims. Apple integrated kill switch technology called "Activation Lock" on all Apple iPhones that drastically reduced smartphone thefts and a lack of similar technology on Samsung smartphones resulted in increased thefts and robberies.
New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is also a part of the initiative, said the robberies and larcenies of iPhones dropped 19 and 29 percent, respectively, in New York during the first five months of 2014 compared to the same period last year. The reduction is credited to the adoption of the kill switch, which disables the phone rendering them useless if stolen or lost. Apple introduced the activation lock feature for iPhone as part of its iOS7 update, which was released alongside iPhone 5S in September, last year. In contrast, Samsung smartphone owners appear to be more exposed to thefts and robberies compared to last year. During the same period, between January and May this year, robberies and larcenies for the Korean tech giant's smartphones elevated more than 40 percent in New York compared to the same period last year. It is quite alarming as the same trend was followed in San Francisco and London, according to Mashable. Apple iPhone-related robberies fell by 38 percent in San Francisco and 24 percent in London, while Samsung-related thefts increased by 12 percent and 3 percent in San Francisco and London, respectively. But, it hasn't been too long for the maker of the world's biggest mobile OS, Google to understand the need for a kill switch. The company's spokesman Christopher Katsaros announced that the next version of Android will include its own version of kill switch, details on which will be given shortly, NZ Herald reports. Similarly, Microsoft is jumping into the arena offering "theft-deterrent features" as an update for all phones running WP 8 and above, the report adds. The move is likely to be integrated in devices by July next year, post carriers' and manufacturers' approvals.
