Summary
An anti-theft device for a cell phone, or in this case a smart phone, is a practical idea.
Analysis
On a conceptual level I understand the device. The industry has been dealing with handset security in a variety of ways since the early 1990s when fraud and then later theft became popular.
The industry has dealt with these issues in a variety of ways. Encryption techniques have been used to deal with fraud in the past and even today. Handsets today are basically computers as opposed to the handsets of the early 1980s and early to mid-1990s that were more like hardwired radios. Because the handsets today are computers capable of downloading and using third party software there is a legitimate concern of software viruses. Physically stealing handsets was a not big business for thieves in the 1980s and early 1990s.
When location technology was being developed for E9-1-1 wireless services there had been industry players who had given thought to using this technology for finding property. Call it low jacking property other than a vehicle. I recall there even thought given to locating handsets but the drive and will to use the location technology (of that time) for such an application was not there.
However, today handsets are high end computing devices that have become the focal point of communications for an entire generation of teenagers and young adults. In other words there is a market for handset anti-theft services. The description of the TenBu device sounds simple enough but I will need to examine this on closer detail before I render an opinion. Given the fact TenBu is supporting one of the most popular handsets for the business person I would say they have a huge built-in customer base.
I will say this TenBu may find other applications for their technology and product.
P.J. Louis consults with leading institutions through GLG
Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.
