NYPD Encouraging iOS 7 Upgrades

The New York Police Department has been busy handing out fliers on the street these past few days. No, they don’t want you to donate to any fund drive and they aren’t offering a pancake breakfast. New York’s Finest are asking iPhone users to update their mobile operating system to iOS 7. Why? Because the update includes a feature that renders your device useless if it gets stolen. Which also means there is less of a reason for criminals to want to steal it.

According to a tweet [1] from Jim Rosenberg [Via: AllThingsD], the NYPD hit the pavement to let Apple users know that the iOS update includes additional security to your device. “By downloading the new operating system, should your device be lost or stolen, it cannot be reprogrammed without an Apple ID and password.”

The security feature, Activation Lock [2] , lets you set additional security features that will require your Apple ID and password if anyone wants to turn off the Find My iPhone or iPad feature, erase your device, or reactivate your device.

All you have to do is turn on the Find my iPhone or iPad feature in your Settings app. Open your Settings app, tap the iCloud tab, toggle the “Find my iPhone or iPad” switch on.

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney Geroge Gascón published a press release [3] on the same day that iOS 7 launched praising Apple for including Activation Lock in its update.

“In the months ahead, it is our hope that Activation Lock will prove to be an effective deterrent to theft, and that the widespread use of this new system will end the victimization of iPhone users, as thieves learn that the devices have no value on the secondary market. We are particularly pleased that â€" because Activation Lock is a feature associated with Apple’s new operating system as opposed to a new device â€" it will be available to consumers with older phone models who download the free upgrade.”

The widespread theft of iPhone and iPad devices is dubbed “Apple picking” by local police. The hope is that Activation Lock will allow users to, not only track their device so it is easier to find, but also make the device useless so it can’t be resold since the information on it can’t be erased. It may not be a solution to the influx of stolen iOS devices, but it might just slow it down a little.

Links

1. ^{^} a tweet (twitter.com)
2. ^{^} Activation Lock (support.apple.com)
3. ^{^} published a press release (www.ag.ny.gov)

source: www.padgadget.com