A Kill switch is a feature designed to deter the growing problem of mobile phone thieves.

Many smartphones already include the ability to let users remotely wipe their lost devices, ensuring that sensitive data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. But that doesn’t stop a determined criminal from doing a “factory reset,” and selling the device on as though it were newly purchased from the local store.

The idea is this – if a smartphone can be rendered useless after it has been lost or stolen, that should make it less attractive for criminals to steal in the first place.

Imagine if all smartphones were protected with a Kill Switch, and all thieves knew that a stolen phone wasn’t going to be any use to them.

It’s hard to picture why anyone would be at risk of being mugged for their phone anymore, and wouldn’t that be great?

The great news is that from iOS 7, Apple’s “Find my iPhone” feature has incorporated a new technology called “Activation Lock,” which is effectively Apple’s version of the Kill Switch.