Qualcomm Looks Into SafeSwitch Technology

The “Kill Switch” ended up as law in selected states over in the US, which then saw more manufacturers as well as software developers take advantage of this security-related feature in selected devices and mobile platforms. Android 5.0 Lollipop, iOS 8 and Windows Phone 8.1 all have it – and the kill switch works wonders since it lets one disable their device remotely, ensuring the security of any sensitive data on your handset in the event of a theft or loss. Qualcomm looks set to be the latest leader in the chipset market to introduce the kill switch, and it is said that the Snapdragon 810 chipset will sport what Qualcomm calls the SafeSwitch.

The SafeSwitch is a hardware-based solution, and it so happens to be yet another option that will be made available to smartphone manufacturers who plan to integrate a similar chipset in their upcoming devices. SafeSwitch works this way – you will be able to “set a password remotely, erase and recover data, and locate or lock a lost or stolen device”.

It remains to be seen as to which particular Qualcomm chipsets down the road will feature SafeSwitch, but it looks as though it would be a standard security feature across the board for its products. Is there any difference between SafeSwtich and other kinds of kill switches? Described as being close-to-impossible to “hack” since it is hardware-based, but there is also the early activation during the boot process which adds a further layer of security. [Press Release]

Edwin Kee
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: kill switch, Qualcomm