What Apple should really do is a lot more:
1: register the moment that the phone was last held by the owner
2: provide continuous tracking data to the owner
3: take photos periodically, including if medical information is accessed
4: email the user with a standard "so you have lost your phone" message
5: add the phone to blacklists on every telco it has a relationship with
6: report the loss to police
7: send information to the owner and police as soon as that phone accesses any network.
Etc.
Anything they can do with a lost phone they can do with a government order.. from any government big enough to strong arm them. And that PR just isn't worth it.
Edit: or god forbid malware or hackers, they are made up of people after all and haven't fucked up that bad before but there is a first time to everything.
Everyone has the ability to remotely wipe their phone, as long as it's connected to the network. If it's not connected to the network, then not even Apple can do anything (assuming they don't make some sort of dead man's switch, which is a terrible default feature for all sorts of reasons...)
As a user, I prefer having the option to decide how sensitive and/or valuable the data on my phone is, what the circumstances of losing my phone are, and how long I'm willing to wait to get it back.
You were out of the country, without Internet access for a while, you have un-synced vacation photos and not much else on the phone, and there's a strong possibility you misplaced it? There's probably not a reason to ever wipe the phone.
You had secret company data on your phone, without a passcode, and it was ripped out of your hands? Can't wipe it fast enough.
While Apple should offer users advice, I wouldn't want them to ever take action (filing police reports, taking photos, etc.) without my explicit consent.
Thieves will just dump the phone for parts. They need to lock all the potential spare parts to the ID of the logic board on first startup / communication.
Comments
What Apple should really do is a lot more: 1: register the moment that the phone was last held by the owner 2: provide continuous tracking data to the owner 3: take photos periodically, including if medical information is accessed 4: email the user with a standard "so you have lost your phone" message 5: add the phone to blacklists on every telco it has a relationship with 6: report the loss to police 7: send information to the owner and police as soon as that phone accesses any network. Etc.
Anything they can do with a lost phone they can do with a government order.. from any government big enough to strong arm them. And that PR just isn't worth it.
Edit: or god forbid malware or hackers, they are made up of people after all and haven't fucked up that bad before but there is a first time to everything.
Remote detonate if not recovered within 24 hours.
Everyone has the ability to remotely wipe their phone, as long as it's connected to the network. If it's not connected to the network, then not even Apple can do anything (assuming they don't make some sort of dead man's switch, which is a terrible default feature for all sorts of reasons...)
As a user, I prefer having the option to decide how sensitive and/or valuable the data on my phone is, what the circumstances of losing my phone are, and how long I'm willing to wait to get it back.
You were out of the country, without Internet access for a while, you have un-synced vacation photos and not much else on the phone, and there's a strong possibility you misplaced it? There's probably not a reason to ever wipe the phone.
You had secret company data on your phone, without a passcode, and it was ripped out of your hands? Can't wipe it fast enough.
While Apple should offer users advice, I wouldn't want them to ever take action (filing police reports, taking photos, etc.) without my explicit consent.
Exactly. Exploding batteries rebranded as a feature.
Maybe Samsung faced a failure less of engineering and more of creative marketing.
This would probably be implemented by Samsung first. They are still working on controlling the detonation if Note 7 is any indication :D
Possibly with a slick James Bond-like digital clock countdown!
or shock the bastard. Antennagate x 1000
Samsung: Hey! Hmm.. hold that thought
Brick it.
Thieves will just dump the phone for parts. They need to lock all the potential spare parts to the ID of the logic board on first startup / communication.
They'd get flack because of too much control over privacy sensitive sensors.
s/flack/flak. Although they would need a flack too.