Consumer Reports: Survey shows Apple's phone kill switch reduces thefts

On June 19, 2014, the office of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released a report stating that the latest crime data showed that the addition of a "kill switch" feature to Apple phones last September (which renders the phone useless and turns it into a "brick") has dramatically reduced robberies and thefts.

According to the report, the "Protect Our Smartphones" initiative started a year ago, and Google and Microsoft also plan to add a "kill switch" to their next smartphone system. In the United States, Google, Apple and Microsoft account for 97% of the smartphone market. The "kill switch" can make a stolen phone immediately inoperable.

Schneider said the data also showed a surge in crimes against phones without kill switches. He said: "The statistics released today show the alarming effectiveness of kill switches, and the commitment by Google and Microsoft is a big step forward in protecting consumer security."

According to the report, in New York City, robberies involving Apple phones fell 19%, and grand thefts fell 29% in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year. Samsung smartphones, which only introduced the "kill switch" in April this year, saw a more than 40% increase in robberies and grand thefts.

According to the report, crime data provided by the San Francisco and London police also showed a similar trend when comparing the six months before and after Apple added the "kill switch" to its phones.

Mike Gikas, senior electronics editor at Consumer Reports, said current kill switches are not automatically enabled and require manual activation by the user. He suggested the technology be transparent to the user and take effect without intervention.