If your shiny new Samsung smart TV has been stolen, don’t worry – Samsung can apparently brick it from afar.
The South Korean Company has been working with carriers for years to deliver technology in their smartphones that allow them to brick a stolen device now a similar technology has been exposed in their TV’s.
The well-kept secret was revealed when a Samsung warehouse full of new Samsung TVs was broken into in South Africa.
What was discovered was that as soon as one of the stolen TV’s was connected to the Internet Samsung was able to activate hidden technology that instantly bricked the TV.
What is not known is whether Samsung could easily identify for law enforcement the location of a stolen TV.
The ‘Television Block Function’ feature, which is pre-installed on all the company’s sets enables the company to shut down any stolen TV in seconds.
In a statement, the company says: “Samsung will be activating TV block on all Samsung television sets looted from our warehouse since the week commencing 11 July 2021. Rest assured, this will help.
“TV Block is a remote, security solution that detects if TV units have been unduly activated. This technology is already pre-loaded on all Samsung TV products.”
Samsung simply adds the serial number to a database of stolen sets.
Once that serial number is picked up online, the TV will be completely disabled.
Samsung says the incentive is to prevent further theft and discourage sales on the secondary market.
The company also says it’ll make sure the TVs can only be used by their rightful owner.
We are waiting on a statement from Samsung Australia re Australian TV’s.
