California’s ‘Kill Switch’ Law

Cellphone

California has recently passed a law that has never before appeared on the mobile technology front.  News is that the law will require all cellphones sold off in the state to have a ‘kill switch’ feature enabling the owner of the device to wipe and disable the machine remotely.

The new law effectively requires any cellphone manufactured after July 1, 2015 and sold in the state to have a feature that will enable remote wiping and disabling. This process has conventionally been famous as ‘bricking.’

Talks of this law have already created waves around the place as it has the potential to make stealing cellphones an act that is extinct. As soon as the law becomes operational in 2015, it would render stolen phones useless. As a result, thieves would have no tangible incentives to target those devices for stealing. The federal government is in awe of this unique law and is considering taking it to national level.

The law has been launched along with an initiative from CTIA (the Wireless Association) known as the ‘smartphone anti-theft voluntary commitment’. All the major manufacturers, platform makers and wireless operators—including Apple, Google, Microsoft, HTC, LG, and Samsung as well as all four major carriers—AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Corporation, and T-Mobile US have committed to provide better anti-theft technology into phones by July 2015.

At present, some phones provide anti-theft services while others do not. It wasn't until iOS 7, launched in 2013, that an activation lock was provided by Apple in their phone’s system. It means iPhones with iOS 7 are already compliant with California's new law. In case of Android, their Android Device Manager helps locate a phone and perform a remote wipe; however, the phone still remains usable because the phone does not include the app out of the box and it can only a perform factory reset function. In short, Android phones today don't comply with the new law.

California's ‘Kill Switch’ law has the potential to completely turn the tables as far as cellphone theft is concerned; however, the law will take its on time rolling smoothly into the current practices.