Samsung to debut kill switch service for smartphones next month

Samsung has been reportedly working on a service that can serve as a kill switch for the stolen smartphones and other devices.

Mobile platform giants such as Microsoft, BlackBerry and Apple are working hard to help the consumers against theft or loss of device. Soon Samsung is expected to join this club with a service that will act as a kill switch for stolen or lost smartphones. Korean News Daily reportedthat Samsung is planning to bring this function next month.

Microsoft and Apple have been offering the mobile phone tracking feature since couple of years. BlackBerry introduced the BlackBerry Protect service to keep the data synced with the respective user account. Now Samsung plans to introduce something similar for the consumers and is being speculated to be a kill switch for the lost or stolen devices.

Apple had recently introduce the Activation Lock feature with the iOS 7 software update. As per this feature, if the stolen iPhone is completely wiped, then the device will not be re-activated. In order to access the stolen or lost device, the thief will have to use Apple ID. Thereby, making the device useless as a phone if stolen or lost.

Samsung's kill switch service can be expected to do something similar. However, once again the string of command will be in manufacturer's and mobile operators' hand instead of the consumer.

Tags: SAMSUNG, APPLE, MICROSOFT, BLACKBERRY, PROTECT, ACTIVATION LOCK, IOS 7, KILL SWITCH

HTC working on device location service dubbed Fetch

HTC has filed a trademark for HTC Fetch, a service meant to track as well as locate mobile devices, portable computers, tablets and wireless handhelds.

HTC is working on its mobile tracking and locating service, according to Engadget. As per the website, a trademark has been filed at the Taiwan's NCC by HTC for 'portable multifunction electronic device for assistance in locating, mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, laptops and so on'.

Even if true, then HTC will not be the lone handset maker to offer such a solution. Apple has already been offering 'Find My iPhone' service since couple of years now and it helps in locating the device on web-based map interface. There are other features such as remote data swipe, push alerts and so on. Samsung has been offering similar service under similar name - Find My Mobile. LG has been offering Anti-theft Mobile Tracker service in its mobile.

Now HTC plans to join the club with a new service or device drive function called Fetch. From the trademark filing it is not clear whether it is a new service or device meant to be used with a service. Basically, the idea is to track HTC devices and keep a tab on the location.

As of now, there is no clarity on whether the said service will remain only with HTC and mobile operators or would be made available to end consumers. However, the fact that the service for consumers to track and locate their devices points that HTC aims to be on the top. If HTC aims to offer this service to consumers, then it would be really helpful for its products on both platforms - Google Android and Windows Phone.

Apple releases statement on customer privacy, received over 4,000 government information requests in six months

Following the likes of Microsoft and Facebook, Apple has publicly responded to the explosion of interest in the NSA's PRISM program, and has been authorized to reveal some of the data on what it's shared with the US government in the past. It apparently first heard of the program when the media started to ask about it earlier this month and has reiterated that it provides no government agency with direct access to its servers. It does, however, get its fair share of requests for customer data from US law enforcement, receiving between 4,000 and 5,000 of them between December 1 2012 and May 31 2013. These requests covered over 9,000 accounts or devices, and come from federal, state and local authorities. Apple elaborated a little on these information requests too, saying that the majority of these requests have involved searching for missing children, preventing suicides and robberies. The company says it has "always placed a priority on protecting our customers' personal data," and its legal team evaluates each request. Apparently, Apple can't decrypt (and thus share) iMessage and FaceTime data, which is encrypted end-to-end.