Kill switch to stop iPhone and Galaxy thieves

Cal Flyn

A “KILL SWITCH” is to be installed by two of the most popular smartphone makers, rendering stolen handsets worthless, in an effort to reduce soaring thefts.

Apple’s new defence, called Activation Lock, will allow owners to deactivate their iPhones remotely and stop thieves from turning off the Find my iPhone application, which enables it to be tracked using GPS. It will be installed automatically as part of a software update later this year.

Rival manufacturer Samsung will offer users the opportunity to install similar locking and tracking software in its latest handset for a £20 annual subscription.

The moves reflect the growing pressure on manufacturers to take action to curb phone thefts, which have reached epidemic proportions.

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has called for transatlantic collaboration, after City Hall officials met their counterparts from New York last week.