California proposal for mandatory kill switch in mobile does not make it

A bill requiring cellphone and tablet manufacturers to include a standard-enabled kill switch in hardware or software has been rejected by the California Senate. The costs for the manufacturers would be too high.

A number of California politicians introduced a bill in February that would require manufacturers to implement a kill switch in cellphones or tablets from July 1, 2015. This could be implemented in software or hardware. According to its proponents, a kill switch is a good way to do something about the ever-increasing theft of mobile equipment. If the legislation was passed, there was a good chance that it would eventually apply to the entire US.

However, the plan for a mandatory introduction of a kill switch is not going ahead for the time being. The California Senate has rejected the bill by 19 votes to 17, Cnet writes. According to the opponents, the costs for the manufacturers are too high and they might leave California as a result. Thieves would also remain interested in mobile phones, as the trade in parts would flourish. In addition, manufacturers claim consumers could become victims of hackers if anti-theft protection is made mandatory, but critics say the insurance industry has lobbied against the kill switch plans because of the lucrative trade in anti-theft insurance.

A compromise is now being sought from the CTIA, a trade association for the mobile sector in the US. The organization promises that its members, including manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, Google and various telecom providers, will offer basic anti-theft protection to all American customers from July next year. The software will already be installed on the mobile device or can be downloaded for free.