When Samsung warned users “to enable and update the latest anti-theft features available on Samsung Galaxy devices,” it came as little surprise. Mobile phone theft has become an epidemic, and despite advances on iOS and Android, it shows no signs of abating. But Apple could have the answer, stopping this dead in its tracks.
Whether phones are stolen for resell or parts depends on their recency. Newer phones can’t be reset and reactivated, but they can be dispatched to China for parts. Either way, the reality is that if your phone is stolen, there’s almost zero chance of ever seeing it again. The police advice is almost certain to be an insurance claim.
The focus for Apple’s and Google’s anti-theft measures is data protection, stopping thieves from gaining access to your device, and if they do get access, to stop them accessing sensitive settings or sensitive data. While in theory this is a deterrent, that has not been the case. In major cities, phone users are fearful to use them on the street.
Contrast that with Apple’s iPhone “kill switch,” which protects devices stolen from its retail stores. When the phone leaves the store, it is completely disabled and displays an on-screen warning: It is being tracked and “local authorities will be alerted.”
Clearly, restarting a phone in this mode is harder than simply entering a PIN or using biometrics. But it could be done using another trusted device or an iCloud reset option. It shouldn’t trigger just because an iPhone thinks it may have been snatched or is in an unexpected location. But an iCloud emergency option could be accessed, or — as per a forthcoming Pixel update — a paired Apple Watch could trigger the kill switch.
As one poster on X suggested when sharing a video of the kill switch in action: “Congratulations, you’ve stolen a brick that tattles.” It does now seem that something this extreme is needed to turn the tide on this theft epidemic. An iPhone with a kill switch that could be easily triggered by its owner would completely change the game. This kill switch isn’t new, but has never been more needed than it is now.
