Global Device Deactivation Plans to Stop the Illegal Phone Trade
全球設備停用計畫，旨在打擊非法手機貿易
Introduction
Apple has launched a global security update to make stolen mobile devices useless. This move comes as the company increases its data-sharing partnership with the Metropolitan Police.
Apple 推出了全球安全性更新，使被盜的行動裝置失效。此舉是因為該公司增加了與倫敦警察廳的數據共享合作。
Main Body
The new 'Stolen Device Protection' feature is a strategic move to make stolen hardware less valuable. By using iCloud Find to lock devices, the system stops thieves from changing passwords or reconnecting to networks, which effectively removes the phone's resale value. This technical change follows a period of high crime in London, where data shows that 587,498 devices were stolen between 2017 and February 2024, but only about 2.3% were recovered.
新的「盜用裝置保護」功能是一項策略性舉措，旨在降低被盜硬體的價值。透過使用 iCloud Find 鎖定裝置，系統能防止竊賊更改密碼或重新連接網路，有效消除了手機的轉售價值。此次技術變更是在倫敦犯罪率高漲後推出的，數據顯示 2017 年至 2024 年 2 月期間，共有 587,498 部裝置被盜，但僅約 2.3% 被追回。
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police are trying to move from simply recovering phones to preventing theft. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has called for a national stolen-phone register and has asked the Home Secretary for new laws that would force all manufacturers to make stolen phones unusable. This initiative aims to disrupt international smuggling networks, some worth £180 million, that move devices from the UK to markets in China, Dubai, and Hong Kong, where rules are less strict.
與此同時，倫敦警察廳正試圖將重點從單純追回手機轉向預防盜竊。警察局長 Sir Mark Rowley 呼籲建立全國性盜搶手機登記冊，並要求內政大臣制定新法，強制所有製造商使被盜手機無法使用。此舉旨在瓦解部分價值高達 1.8 億英鎊的國際走私網絡，這些網絡將裝置從英國運往中國、杜拜及香港等法規較寬鬆的市場。
Furthermore, the cooperation between Apple and the police has led to a clear drop in the number of reactivated devices. While Apple has led the way with these anti-theft measures, Samsung and Google are reportedly introducing similar security updates. These efforts are working; for example, phone thefts in the Westminster district fell by 45.8%, and overall thefts decreased by 18% between June 2025 and May 2026.
此外，Apple 與警方的合作已導致重新啟動裝置的數量明顯下降。雖然 Apple 在這些防盜措施中領先，但據報導 Samsung 和 Google 也將推出類似的安全性更新。這些努力已見成效；例如，西敏區的手機盜竊案下降了 45.8%，而 2025 年 6 月至 2026 年 5 月期間，整體盜竊案減少了 18%。
Conclusion
The use of high-tech 'kill switches' and better data sharing between agencies has started a downward trend in mobile phone theft and illegal sales.
使用高科技的「殺手開關」以及機關之間更佳的數據共享，已使行動電話盜竊與非法銷售開始呈現下降趨勢。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'B2 Power Shift': From Simple Words to Professional Collocations
At the A2 level, you say 'The police are trying to stop theft.' That is correct, but it sounds like a textbook. To reach B2, you need to use Collocations—words that naturally 'glue' together to make you sound like a native speaker.
🧩 The 'Action + Result' Connection
Look at how this article describes professional actions. Instead of using basic verbs like do, make, or stop, it uses high-level pairs:
- Disrupt networks (Not just 'stop' the networks, but break their system)
- Launch an update (More professional than 'start' or 'make')
- Recover devices (Specifically used when finding something stolen)
- Downward trend (A B2 way to say 'the numbers are going down')
💡 The Logic of 'Effectively'
Notice the phrase: "...which effectively removes the phone's resale value."
The B2 Secret: The word effectively here doesn't mean 'in a good way.' It means 'in practice' or 'essentially.'
A2: The phone is useless, so no one buys it. B2: This update effectively removes the resale value.
🛠️ Quick Upgrade Guide
Try replacing your A2 habits with these B2 patterns found in the text:
| Avoid this (A2) | Use this (B2) | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Big change | Strategic move | Shows purpose and planning. |
| Less strict | Less stringent (implied) | Adds academic precision. |
| Working together | Cooperation / Partnership | Sounds more formal and official. |