Technology
Samsung claims to be able to remotely disable stolen televisions
Samsung has claimed that if the company discovers that its TVs have been stolen, it can remotely disable them. The “Television Block Function” was activated recently in South Africa, according to Samsung, after a number of Samsung TVs were stolen from a corporate storage during a wave of protests and disturbances last month.
Samsung says the technology is “already pre-loaded on all Samsung TV products” and “ensures that the television sets can only be used by the rightful owners with a valid proof of purchase.” It’s not clear, though, from Samsung’s description whether the feature is only intended to combat large-scale theft, or if it will ever be used to help individual consumers.

Samsung claims to be able to remotely disable stolen televisions
For the TV Block Function to work, Samsung needs to know the serial code of the stolen unit. When the set connects to the internet, it checks its serial code against a list on Samsung’s servers and disables all TV functionality if it finds a match.
- RELATED: Samsung to remove ads from its stock apps later this year
- RELATED: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G named the Best Smartphone at MWC 2021
Blocking the TVs stolen in South Africa was presumably relatively easy. They’d been taken from Samsung’s own warehouse, where the company would be tracking its inventory. It’s possible that an average customer whose TV is stolen would be able to report its serial code to the company to have it remotely disabled, but it’s not clear if Samsung offers or plans to offer such a service.
The company does say, though, that in the event that customers in South Africa have one of their TVs blocked by accident, they can have the block lifted by sending a proof of purchase to [email protected]
-
Health4 days ago
Risks of consuming too much ginger
-
Entertainment4 days ago
BBNaija season 7: Love triangle as Groovy confesses feelings for Beauty and Ilebaye
-
Entertainment3 days ago
Wizkid admits he once risk his school fees on table tennis.
-
News4 days ago
Suspect sentenced to death for murder of Akwa Ibom job seeker
-
News3 days ago
Two people killed by lightning strike near White House
-
Entertainment3 days ago
BBNaija Season 7: Beauty tells Groovy to see her parents if he wants her.
-
Politics3 days ago
Bauchi senator emerges as NNPP governorship candidate
-
News5 days ago
NBC fines DSTV, Trust TV, others N5m each over documentary on bandits