Google and Microsoft add 'kill switch' to smartphones: Emergency security feature has been shown to cut iPhone theft
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Google and Microsoft will introduce a 'kill switch' to their mobile phones, joining Samsung and Apple - which has an 'Activation Lock' feature (pictured)
Google and Microsoft will soon be introducing a 'kill switch' to their respective mobile software, so owners can deactivate their handsets if they're stolen.
The move comes after a report by the New York State attorney general found that the theft of iPhones has fallen significantly in the six months since Apple introduced the security features to its mobile operating system.
A kill switch gives users the power to completely disable a smartphone remotely after it has been stolen.
It also increases security on the phone by adding more password layers, to make it more difficult to wipe and then be sold on by thieves.
According to the report, since the Activation Lock feature was added to Apple's iOS 7 last year, the number of iPhone related robberies has fallen by 24 per cent in London, 17 per cent in New York and 39 per cent in San Francisco.
The feature requires the entry of a passcode in order to disable location services on the device.
Earlier this year, Samsung introduced a similar feature called Reactivation Lock to some of its Galaxy smartphones, which allows users to lock their phone remotely should it go missing, or be stolen.
The report confirmed that following an initiative launched last year called Secure our Smartphones (SOS), supported by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, Microsoft and Google will be improving the security on their mobile devices.
Beware! The tech giants' move to introduce a kill switch comes after a report by the New York State attorney general found thefts of iPhones in New York and London (pictured) have fallen significantly in the six months since Apple introduced the feature
HOW A KILL SWITCH WORKS
Versions of the emergency feature are included on iPhone and Samsung handsets.
A 'soft' kill switch, such as those currently offered, allow a person to block a thief from accessing their phone.
This lets them disable their handset, add extra layers of security, and protect their personal data on it.
Microsoft and Google will both add the feature to their next software update.
While the feature will be welcomed by many, some experts think the only true way to stop data being exploited on stolen mobiles, or the handsets being sold on, is to damage them permanently.
This is because the current services rely on a signal to be activated, which can be blocked if a thief turns off a phone or puts it in airplane mode straight away.
A 'hard' kill switch would render a handset completely useless and the police are in favour of such a move, to stop the trade-in of stolen handsets.
It said: 'With the release of this report, the SOS Initiative achieves two major milestones: Microsoft confirms it will incorporate a killswitch-type theft-deterrence solution in the next release of its Windows Phone operating system, which will run on all Nokia smartphones.
And, Google confirms it will incorporate a killswitch-type theft-deterrence solution in its next version of the Android operating system, the most popular mobile operating system worldwide.'
Fred Humphries, Microsoft's vice president of U.S. Government Affairs explained in a blog post: 'Over recent months, Microsoft has been working with others in the wireless industry to develop voluntary principles for implementing more robust theft-deterrent technologies in smartphones.
'The new theft deterrent features will be offered as an update for all phones running Windows Phone 8.0 and newer, though availability is subject to mobile operator and phone manufacturer approval.
Coming soon: Google has promised to include a kill switch feature in the next version of its Android operating system (pictured left on a Nexus 5 handset), while Microsoft has also said that theft deterrent features will be offered as an update for phones running Windows Phone 8.0, shown on this Nokia Lumia 920 (right)
'Additional details on functionality and availability will be provided closer to the official release.
With these additional features, we're hopeful that technology - as part of a broader strategy - can help to further reduce incentives for criminals to steal smartphones in the first place.'
Experts still want firmer kill switches to be introduced that permanently disable smartphones.
Those used at the moment by Apple and Samsung rely on a signal being sent to the phone to lock it, or a password to keep out unwanted users.
But experts have warned that turning a phone off or placing it in airline mode can block signal from reaching it.
According to the most recent report into smartphone theft in the UK, more than 80,000 devices are stolen each year, compared to three million in the U.S.
APP TAKES 'THEFTIE' PHOTOS TO HELP TRACK DOWN YOUR HANDSET
Emails (pictured) include maps of the location of stolen devices as well as 'thefties' if the stolen phone is an Android
A San Francisco-based security firm has created a product that will email victims of smartphone theft a photo of the person who has snatched their phone.
The photo, known as a 'theftie' will also be accompanied by a map of the device's location, which could be useful if a thief has dumped a valuable device.
The stolen phone's camera will be triggered when a thief enters a wrong password, turns the device off or takes out the SIM card - accidentally taking a selfie, which is emailed to the phone's registered owner.
Lookout, the company behind the idea, added the new 'Theft Alert' to its premium service, which is designed to be used on iPhones and Android handsets.
'We are not providing this information for you to go out and find the device yourself,' Lookout's product manager Greg Lou said. 'It is so you can give it to the police so they can find it for you.'
The premium version of Lookout costs $3 a month or $30 for the year and includes features such as backing up data, virus protection and finding lost phones.
It is available on Android for £1.99 per month or £19.99 annually and iOS for £1.99 per month or £20.99 annually in the UK.
The new capability will let users tell smartphones to send theft alerts if anyone botches a password or puts the device in 'airplane' mode to block network connections.
On Android phones, such alerts will instruct front-facing cameras to take photos in the hope of capturing images of culprits.
Emails that include maps of the location of stolen devices are sent to owners. In the case of Android, the emails include copies of 'thefties' taken with front-facing cameras.
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