New York Attorney General Presses Apple and Google on Smartphone Thefts

[7enderbender]

It's not the manufacturer's job to combat theft of their devices.

There. That says it all. But try to explain that to a government official obsessed with running everyone's life - asked or unasked.

Apple's location service is already pretty neat even it all it does is protect my data to some degree. For everything else there is insurance if it's worth it. Or the 2nd amendment..

A "kill switch" will not prevent theft I suspect.

 

[thundersteele]

Whatever the motivation of the NY police is to put pressure on Apple, iPhone/iPad theft is a problem for the consumer. I know a few iPhone users that have stopped to use their phone in public. And once in a while I see someone grabbing a phone and running away on the Bus or Train. People are held up and asked for their phone instead of the purse...


I'm not sure how much Apple can actually do. Imagine a big collaboration of all carriers and phone manufacturers, to make a stolen phone unusable on any US carrier. Say we even get Canada to join. This might make it more difficult for casual thieves to profit from the phones they steal. However eventually they will probably start shipping the phones out of the country.

A kill switch or a fingerprint sensor that can only be reset by Apple (or not at all) might work - however I don't know how easy thieves can get around this, they are usually pretty smart when it comes to stuff like that.

 

[EwanMcTeagle]

Maybe Apple IS working on an antitheft solution.....and just doesn't want anybody to know about it yet until they announce the new phone. Sounds exactly like what the fingerprint sensor could help with

I'm not sure if I want the fingerprint sensor - I'd rather get my phone stolen than... have it stolen along with my finger...

 

[roar08]

Ode to the Lazy

Government intervention/regulation should never supplant personal responsibility. That applies here, and likely to the majority of any other headline you might waste your time reading today.

 

[617aircav]

Vote with your wallets. If you dont like it don't buy it. You can buy a $100 smart phone that wont be a target.

 

[7enderbender]

No, it's a completely intelligent statement.

It is not their responsibility to provide any anti theft deterrence or systems to recover stolen hardware. They might want to add that as a feature if people want to buy phones with that, but it is up to the producer if they want to add that. It sounds like the government wants to push the responsibility onto the producers and then they will likely pass laws REQUIRING anti theft devices which is lame. Let Apple design what they want and leave them alone.

But...but...but....it's for the children?!

 

[eharley]

"effective deterrents of theft"? Ya, riiiiight.

Yup.

Source.

 

[GoCubsGo]

The state AGs have really stepped up their game because nobody else seems to be taking up these causes. Also, they are often effective at getting the companies to take action.

Previous NY state AG Cuomo used that position as a launching pad for the governor's mansion. Same thing now.

By bullying. I happen to know this for fact.

The NY Attorney General's office has always been a stepping stone for those interested in higher (often national) office. Thus, the steady stream of these sorts of attention-grabbing announcements.

Not always. It's been more prevalent as of late.

 

[Rossatron]

you people give a lot of great suggestions to apple. and say that the iphone could go into low-power mode, and send distress signals. who the %$#@ d'you think would come looking for it? will you go a-knockin' on criminals' doors, saying "hey! you've stole my iPhone!"? I'm guessing not. and d'you think the police will do it? i guess they would, once they solve all the murder cases....

the tracking solution is very nice.... for about 2-3 hours. once thieves understand they can't sell it, it'll be stripped for parts. what do they care? some profit on stolen parts is better than no profit on a locked iPhone.

 

[esquared]

This is beyond ridiculous, but OK, I'll bite.

Mr. Atty. General, allow me to carry a gun and I'll shoot the next MF'er who tries to steal my iPhone. You'll see iPhone thefts plummet in no time. No? You don't like that answer? Neither do I. How's this, fire all those crooked politicians in Albany (if you follow NY news you know what I'm talking about) and let's get a decent gov't that aims to protect the public's safety AND economy by doing all it can to ensure people have jobs and make a living wage! In short, do your ********** job!

 

[MegamanX]

It's not the manufacturer's job to combat theft of their devices.

Part of me disagrees with that.

The carriers need to black list all stolen phones so they are worthless after being stolen for phones. Google and Apple can easily follow suit by banning those devices from being able to use their network as well.

For example stolen iPhone can no longer access anything in the app store. It can not connect to pull mobile Me or iCloud. Hell apple could even disable it from connecting to iTunes on the computer on an update more or less bricking the device but that would require an update to iOS. Banning from the store and apple services can be done with out any update at all to iOS.

Google for android devices ban them from accessing Gmail or hell any of Google's services. So it really effectually limits the value of the device.

 

[mjoshi123]

Here we go again, NY AG trying to milk corporation under pretext of "public safety", its one more way govt is nowadays shaking down big corporation. When did it become manufacturer's job to install anti-theft system in their product ? I hope this bozo also writes to every car manufacturer to see what are they doing to prevent theft of their cars.

 

[EricNau]

If Apple could implement any theft-deterrence, that would certainly be a selling-point in my eyes.

That said, shouldn't it be the carriers who work with law enforcement to disable and/or track stolen phones? Seems like they would be far more capable...

 

[Reasonable1]

It's a slippery slope...

It's a slippery slope to mandate the manufacturer to prevent theft but Apple is in a unique position as a manufacturer. That unique position is you can't do anything on an iOS device without an Apple ID. In other words, Apple holds the key to unlocking an iOS device and what they’re doing today by allowing a thief to add a new Apple ID to an iOS device that’s been reported stolen is equivalent to your local car dealership changing out keys to any car that’s brought to them without asking questions. Surely, we can all agree that isn't right.

To add insult to injury, that dealership not only changes the keys for thief but they also sell him additional services - oil changes, new parts etc as Apple does by selling app and music downloads.

 

[mytdave]

Friggin Govt Nanny State

1. It's not a manufacturer's responsibility to prevent device theft.
2. iPhone already has remote wipe capability (if you choose to use it).
3. iPhone already has device tracking (if you choose to use it).

Apple should tell NY to fck off.

 

[MegamanX]

They don't require automobile makers to put a kill swich in all cars that are sold.

So why should phone manufacturers be required.

But cars do not call home or connect back to any services.
But a stolen car can not be sold to a dealer ship or have a title transfer as the vin number is flag.
Hell take it in to be services and it will get flagged and reported very quickly.

Also car manufactures have been making it harder and harder to hot wire a car. If you lack a key it is getting near impossible to start and drive a car as with out having the chipped key it cuts all power to fuel pump starter and other parts.

Cars have been stepping up the game for years.

 

[Boomchukalaka]

Use your head. Cell phones are traceable and can be deactivated remotely. If it's possible to do that then why not do it?

Yes lets look at things that are possible...

Please tell me why guns are sold without biometric fingerprint locks? The technology is out there, shouldn't gun manufacturers be held to the same standards?

Oh...did I just use my head??

 

[CEmajr]

It's honestly a waste of time and just more for political talk. You have to put yourself in the mind of the thief.

- A thief doesn't care whether the smartphone is blocked from US network activation, they're most likely not trying use it themselves. Blocked iPhone 5s still run for at least $300 in resale value. Do people really think a thief will decide not to steal a device because it's only worth $300 now instead of $500? He got it for free so it makes no difference to him

- The phones will still work overseas. Since the US teleco industry will never be able to control what happens in other countries, there will always be a demand for these stolen devices and incentive for people to steal them.

- Even if total phone capabilities are disabled, the phone can still be used like an iPod Touch or internet surfing device. Meaning they will still have resale value.

- Do people really think the thief would give the phone back to you because he can't activate it? Yeah right.

Bottom line, this is pointless and will not do much to stop theft. That's just a side effect of having these nice devices. Unless Apple/Google have some way to totally disable a stolen phone to the point that it can't even power on or something, it's pointless.

 

[LegacyMacUser]

It's not the manufacturer's job to combat theft of their devices.

Leave it to an idiot politician to even think that a manufacturer is responsible for their products being stolen. These guys can't manage their crime problems so they blame the manufacturers. What stupidity.

 

[ejb190]

Phones are a lot more expensive now.
Phones contain a lot more personal information.

I wonder how many more thefts are reported now because of the need for a police report to claim the loss on insurance or protect from identity theft?

 

[repoman27]

Yup...
Source.

Ahh, statistics:

Source.

That line representing the "Northeast" in your graph seems curious to me.

 

[Mr. Gates]

My phone has a cool feature on it where tentacles wrap around the theifs face and it inserts a xenomorph in the chest.

 

[Boomchukalaka]

Sneakers are not Internet connected devices with unique serial numbers and network identifiers.

I know what you are saying, but I'm pretty sure each and every Walkman had a unique serial number.

Again, it's just my opinion, but this is just another politico hack trying to make headlines.

 

[Huracan]

if my truck is stolen is Toyota responsible?

It depends on how it was stolen, but in many cases they would share responsibility if they make the vehicle too easy to steal.

 

[Yvan256]

Source please.

I think it was right here on MacRumors. If not, it was probably on Slashdot.

And no, I'm not going to waste time finding the correct page. You're the one who wants to know the source, you can search yourself using what I wrote as a reference to begin your search (i.e. restrict the search to MacRumors and Slashdot).