New Mobile Phones Scream at Thieves

A UK-based firm, Remote XT, has created antitheft technology that causes cell phones to emit a high-pitched screeching sound when they are reported stolen by their owners. If a phone is stolen, the company activates a remote security command that immediately erases all data stored on the phone. Even if the thief removes the phone’s SIM card, the cell can still “scream.”By making the phones unusable to anyone but the rightful owner, they become worthless to thieves, noted Mark Whiteman, managing director of Remote XT.

All customer data is stored at Remote XT, including contacts, ringtones, text messages, and photos, so even if the information has to be wiped from the stolen phones, it can be downloaded to a new device quickly. The software also can be used to scan phones remotely for viruses.

Stop, Thief

The demand for better antitheft technology for cell phones is becoming more acute in the UK, Remote XT noted.

Mobile phone theft in the UK has risen 190 percent in recent years, and one-third of all robberies there now involve mobile phones, according to the country’s Office of National Statistics.

The Metropolitan Police Force and the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum have voiced their approval of the technology, noting that any opportunity to reduce cell-phone theft and black-market deals is welcome.

Niche Marketing

The antitheft technology is currently only available in the UK, but it is likely that such a feature could appear in U.S. models in the near future, said Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg.

“The development of this technology underscores that cell features have gotten to the point of niche functionality,” he said. “This feature won’t appeal to everyone, but someone will want it.”

The screaming tech also demonstrates how cell phones are becoming increasingly personalized, he added, to the point of being an extension of the user. “This is the ultimate in making your cell phone like an individual,” he said. “Like a person, it can actually yell for help.”

// October 4th, 2006