Officials in the United States are calling on smartphone makers to make changes that will deter the theft of mobile phones.
Handset makers have been criticized in the past for dragging their feet on adding features that could fight against the epidemic of handset theft. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon formed a coalition to address the problem, and to work with vendors to create features, like a "kill switch", that can render a stolen device useless.
Law enforcement authorities have been warning about mobile phone theft, as it becomes increasingly violent and prevalent. In San Francisco, more than half of reported robberies in 2012 involves a mobile phone. One study estimated the cost of phone theft at about $30 billion.
"This nationwide coalition of leaders is committed to doing everything in our power to encourage industry to be good corporate citizens and take responsible steps to ensure the safety of our consumers," Schneiderman said in a statement.
Law enforcement authorities have been warning about mobile phone theft, as it becomes increasingly violent and prevalent. In San Francisco, more than half of reported robberies in 2012 involves a mobile phone. One study estimated the cost of phone theft at about $30 billion.
"This nationwide coalition of leaders is committed to doing everything in our power to encourage industry to be good corporate citizens and take responsible steps to ensure the safety of our consumers," Schneiderman said in a statement.
