New York Asks Cellphone Carriers to Explain Why They Rejected Antitheft Switch
SAN FRANCISCO — New York State's top prosecutor is investigating why American cellphone carriers have yet to embrace antitheft software on Samsung smartphones, raising questions about possible coordination among the biggest carriers.
Context & Ripple Effects
The investigation is the escalation of a year-long campaign: San Francisco and New York officials met with leading smartphone makers in June 2013 to curb a spike in phone thefts, and by summer Apple and Samsung devices were being put through an antitheft stress test. In November, the carriers' refusal to adopt the kill switch was documented directly.
The trend: State prosecutors are converting antitheft advocacy into formal investigations of carrier conduct, testing whether distribution gatekeepers can keep security features off consumer phones.