Android and Microsoft create mobile 'kill switch'

Kill switches aim to deter thieves by rendering stolen mobile devices useless

A Windows Phone 7
(Image credit: 2010 Getty Images)

Android and Microsoft have announced that they will add a "kill switch" to their next generation of smartphones in a bid to combat theft.

The innovation will allow a user to disable his or her mobile phone if it is stolen, rendering the device useless.Authorities have been urging tech companies to introduce kill switches for years, the BBC says.

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