Smartphone makers fight thefts with lockdown software

The theft of iPhones and iPads is so widespread it’s known as “Apple picking.”

But Apple devices aren’t the only targets. Nearly one in three robberies nationwide involves the theft of a mobile phone, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

The problem is so severe in their cities that San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman this summer convened a “smartphone summit” to urge the smartphone industry to implement technological solutions to thwart the robberies.

Now some makers of wireless mobile devices, notably Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., are taking steps to fight back against thieves.

Apple’s new iOS 7 mobile operating system includes a security feature called Activation Lock that automatically works with the free Find My iPhone feature.

Activation Lock basically ties your devices to your Apple ID. Criminals who steal phones typically “wipe” the devices clean so they can resell them. Now any thief who wants to turn off Find My iPhone, erase the device, or reset the device will be required to enter the Apple ID and password.

Supporters of such security measures say they will discourage thieves from stealing phones because they will not be able to sell them.

Alex Castro, who lives in Oakland, Calif., said that Activation Lock will discourage thefts by making stolen phones “nearly worthless.”

“This has the potential to decimate the market for stolen iPhones, and if there is no demand, then there will be no reason for criminals to mug people for their iPhone,” he wrote in Oakland Local, a popular community blog.

Activation Lock also has won praise from law enforcement officials.

“We are pleased that Apple released a mobile operating system that includes a theft deterrent feature called Activation Lock,” Gascon said in a statement. “This is an important first step toward ending the global epidemic of smartphone theft.”

Samsung partners with Absolute Software, which sells device tracking and recovery software and services for PCs, laptops and mobile devices. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 smartphone includes Absolute software that allows owners to remotely delete files and lock down the stolen device, rendering it useless to thieves.