To stop him getting out.

These days you can probably replace them with Arduinos.

Why do you think they call it a "half life"...?

So, er, how do you know the exact cellphone details of every member of a random mob of angry gits?

Nope, it makes it more valuable to the people who distribute it - no more pesky freeloaders!

(just like drugs, etc.)

It should be ZERO. Nada. Zilch.

Nope.

If the government knows who they are then I'm sure they'd rather listen in than kill the phone.

I don't get it. Why would the government want a kill switch? Your phone company can already block your phone from the network at any time. The government could just tell them to do it.

You should be worried about the government listening in, not killing your phone.

If the 'kill' needs a PIN, and that PIN is on a scratch card in the box then who can abuse it...?

Apple's scheme doesn't go far enough. Software will be hacked, it needs to blow a fuse in the CPU and destroy it.

No you haven't. Even if you know where it is, what are you going to do? Really...?

Besides, you're in charge of whether or not it's killed. You have to report it stolen.

Yes it does. Read the summary - people are being mugged and murdered for their phones. A kill switch makes them worthless to thieves.

a) Why would they do that if it isn't true?

b) This isn't the sort of thing you can prove by accident. Either there's proof or there isn't.

(Of course, if there *is* proof they'll just claim he photoshopped it...it would have to be absolutely amazing proof for denial not to work - like the head of the FBI and three of the PM's best friends all siding with Kim Dotcom)

...assuming you want them on paper. Why not scan the negatives?

Yeah? I've got a few neighborhoods you might like to walk through.

(And they're "first world", I promise...!)

That's a good thing. If they have to replace yours under warranty you might get a newer model.

Hasn't Adolph Hitler beaten them to it by about 80 years?