iPhones have traditionally been one of the most popular gadgets for people to steal which is why Apple decided to equip the devices with “kill switches” that allow them to be remotely deactivated in the event of theft. According to reports, this has succeeded in dropping theft rates for iPhones by anywhere from 25-40% in certain cities.
Thefts involving smartphones have declined dramatically in three major cities since manufacturers began implementing “kill switches” that allow the phones to be turned off remotely if they are stolen, authorities said on Tuesday. The number of stolen iPhones dropped by 40 percent in San Francisco and 25 percent in New York in the 12 months after Apple Inc added a kill switch to its devices in September 2013. In London, smartphone theft dropped by half, according to an announcement by officials in the three cities. “We have made real progress in tackling the smartphone theft epidemic that was affecting many major cities just two years ago,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson.