Android and Windows Phone devices will add a kill switch

19 June, 2014
The New York Attorney General has signed agreements with Google and Microsoft to add kill switches.

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  • o
  • ou chentao
  • fx9
  • 28 May 2017

What's the point of adding a kill switch? We don't have a kill switch in china.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • nC6
    • 22 Jun 2014

    Android Guy, 20 Jun 2014I personally dont find point in having a kill switch or los... moreThe kill switch is not linked to the sim card alone. The moment the phone is connected to wifi or internet, it will deactivate and will require the password.

    Theft of iPhone has already gone down a lot since the introduction of the kill switch:

    http://mashable.com/2014/06/20/iphone-kill-switch-stops-theft-robbery/

      • R
      • Renee
      • NUw
      • 22 Jun 2014

      iPhone versus Android. Android versus iPhone. At the end of the day, who cares. Use the device that you are comfortable with.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • 3rW
        • 21 Jun 2014

        Anonymous, 21 Jun 2014Yeh im sure i need pictures to understand your complex lang... moreIt's usually you android fanboys who say that apple thinks they invented everything. You fit the MO perfectly.

        You can assume whatever you want about me, but the fact of the matter is that it was your iHater compatriots who only read the title and looked at the pictures and started commenting without reading the article. All you've done is personally attacked me because I pointed out an observable fact.

          • b
          • blah blah
          • NHU
          • 21 Jun 2014

          AnonD-166478, 21 Jun 2014Do you even hear yourself? The point here it's not about bl... moreStop fighting the device just because you dont have one ,
          give credit where credit is due

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • n%g
            • 21 Jun 2014

            Nothing new.. even AVG has a kill switch

              • D
              • AnonD-166478
              • pdm
              • 21 Jun 2014

              Do you even hear yourself? The point here it's not about blocking the phone via simcard. Whether you change the sim or not you will have the same IMEI, so I guess they will stick to this principle. Also you can implement a separate security system which isn't affected by reflashing or formatting the phone.

              Please fanboys go to sleep. Stop searching for inexistent arguments to worship iPhone just because u have one.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • mg9
                • 21 Jun 2014

                Anonymous, 20 Jun 2014Lol. Meeting the needs of the average user is what every c... moreYeh im sure i need pictures to understand your complex language. iphones are just childrens play toys, adults have sense and use phones that work for their day to day lives. But then again you are an apple fan boy so you probably think Apple invented the wheel, oxygen and water!

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • sg0
                  • 21 Jun 2014

                  AnonD-123996, 20 Jun 2014Exactly true. But how if he loads his own sim and starts us... moreYou are a bit behind on the capabilities of existing solutions... Look up Cerberus or Prey, for example. SIM change doesn't matter, and neither does factory reset. A security app will kick in as soon as the phone goes online by any means (mobile network or WiFi). It can send you a report with the new phone number of the SIM currently installed, GPS coordinates, a photo of the person holding the phone, it can lock the phone with a different password, display a message on the screen, sound a very loud alarm, wipe data, etc., etc. Yes, of course, there are ways to disable such apps, but not as easily as throwing out the SIM or resetting the phone...

                  IMO, as a theft deterrent, blacklisting an IMEI/ESN is way more effective solution than a kill switch. But a kill switch is really useful for destroying your personal data remotely as needed.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • Fuq
                    • 20 Jun 2014

                    another propaganda by phone company. Honestly, I don't see this benefits the user in anyway. Ultimately, the phone company will pile up with more $$$. I'm sorry, if I find a lost phone....I want to use it!! yea yea judge me all you want. it's called human nature. Like wise, if I lose my phone. I accept it. what comes around goes around.

                      • D
                      • AnonD-263286
                      • 3CH
                      • 20 Jun 2014

                      Only illiterate crook would steal WP

                        • D
                        • AnonD-233508
                        • t7L
                        • 20 Jun 2014

                        AnonD-233508, 20 Jun 2014Kill switch only works iphone/itouch/ipad with a password. ... moreFor phones with a contract, you can just change sim before turning ON the phone.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-233508
                          • t7L
                          • 20 Jun 2014

                          Kill switch only works iphone/itouch/ipad with a password.

                          Most android phones are easily rooted and the ROM can be changed and modified. So if an android phone is stolen they can just reset it. So the kill switch will probably work only on future versions of Android.
                          As for windows phone, well i dont know about it but the windows OS (for PC) has the most number of viruses ever. Making it easy to hack.

                          For data, ios does not have a micro sd card slot so data will be erased kill switxh is activated. As for android/w8 phones, you can just take out the microsd card and put it in a card reader or plug it in a diff phone viola you have access to someone else data. So kill switch will be good only for android/w8 without an sdcard slot.

                          For phones with a

                            • L
                            • Let's go
                            • Ia9
                            • 20 Jun 2014

                            AnonD-123996, 20 Jun 2014Exactly true. But how if he loads his own sim and starts us... moreThis seem like a scorched earth approach to tackle a problem

                            In the UK networks can "block" lost or stolen phones (handset); it really depended on the type

                            Stolen phones (even lost) could be made 100% useless, in that when blocked they can NOT be unblocked after, so if you were to recover the phone and had NO insurance it was basically an MP4 player

                            This is what is see the US in enacting

                            I have an ANDROID Samsung phone which has its own security feature and a standalone anti-theft app running on it also much is duplicated but the Standalone has some smart features also.

                            So I can remotely lock the phone and erase some data even track the phone using either
                            “LOCKING” temporarily BLOCKS the phone until I (parole) it

                            The beauty of this LOCKING is my phone data in inaccessible as you can't get past the home screen, so all data on the phone is not viewable, there are NO menu icons
                            BUT I also have a Lumia and unfortunately there is NO security on any Window8 phone

                            Security is this (3) Sim lock and phone lock, and remote wipe, so for those Lumia owners with No phone lock it is just a change of sim card and you’re (thief) is good to go

                            IMO before inputting a kill switch a minimum security standard must be made so it is ON my Android but missing on the Windows 8

                            You are more likely to "kill" if your data is accessible rather than “ lock up”
                            My Lumia has no security whatsoever

                            A kill switch ONLY works if you done before the info you wish to protect is removed.
                            I have a better chance of locating my Android if lost than my Lumia

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 3rW
                              • 20 Jun 2014

                              Anonymous, 20 Jun 2014Says the Apple fan boy who's iOS was made childish to meet ... moreLol. Meeting the needs of the average user is what every consumer product maker wants to do. That's where the money is.

                              "The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple" - Einstein

                              This may be difficult to understand because you have to read about it and there aren't any big pictures to show you what it means.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-123996
                                • 6pA
                                • 20 Jun 2014

                                Android Guy, 20 Jun 2014I personally dont find point in having a kill switch or los... moreExactly true. But how if he loads his own sim and starts using the phone? I mean if he uses his own sim on that stolen phone, we would be unable to kill our phone. Moreover will we be able to claim our stolen phone even if the warranty has finished and our mobile is like say 4 years old model? Or is there some other kind of possibility to safeguard our stolen phone/and claiming them back?

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-106654
                                  • 3sE
                                  • 20 Jun 2014

                                  So many sci-fi fans here :'D

                                    When the government goes democidal this will come in handy.

                                      • E
                                      • EvilMonkey
                                      • pqr
                                      • 20 Jun 2014

                                      Anonymous, 20 Jun 2014Because iPhone already has it.. and Windows / Android not e... moreThe fanboy logic: title is about android and windows, iPhone on the image = you can kill an android phone with your iphone :D

                                      By the way there are dozens of security solutions for android with this feature already. I wonder if Google will just buy one of these developers and implement their app in the next iteration of the OS or will they make their own solution.

                                        • A
                                        • Android Guy
                                        • 25L
                                        • 20 Jun 2014

                                        I personally dont find point in having a kill switch or lost phone tracking apps. They are merely useless.

                                        Reason: Why the hell on earth a thug/criminal who stole/snatched the phone would keep your phone on? He would simply swith it off then and there and pull out the sim so that it gets disconnected to any network/GPS or any other sort of connectivity.