QLED-loving thieves, beware: Samsung revealed on Tuesday that its TVs can be turned off remotely if the company finds out they have been stolen, as long as the devices in question are connected to the Internet.
Known as the “Samsung TV Block,” the feature was first announced in a press release earlier this month after the company rolled it out. after a series of looting of warehouses triggered by unrest in South Africa. A la release, Samsung said the technology “is already preloaded on all Samsung TV products” and assured that it “guarantees that TV sets can only be used by rightful owners with a valid proof of purchase.”
TV Block starts after the stolen TV user connects it to the Internet, which is necessary fortelevisions mart. Once connected, the TV’s serial number pings the Samsung server, triggering a locking mechanism that effectively disables all TV functions.
While the release only mentions the lock feature in relation to TVs that had been looted from the company’s warehouse, the protection could also apparently be applied to individual customers whose TV has been stolen and the number reported. Device Serial to Samsung However, it is not yet known whether or not Samsung currently has plans to grant remote lock features to people whose TVs have been stolen and want to turn them off themselves. (Chances are good that the very spectrum of the idea of numerous users calling to report that they have locked out of their TVs is enough to give people the Samsung ruses.)
If an individual’s TV crashes by mistake, the company said, functionality can be restored as soon as the user can produce a valid proof of purchase and share their TV’s license with a “legitimate retailer.” (If you are experiencing this, the company points out on its website that you can send these purchase proof documents to [email protected] for assistance).
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