Make smartphone kill switches automatic

[Commentary] The wireless industry is taking an important step in bowing to public pressure by requiring kill switches to disable stolen smartphones. But the move doesn't go far enough to protect the public against a growing crime category that can turn violent. The announcement comes with a hitch. A device owner will have to opt in or actively sign up for the kill switch to put it to work. That's a drawback that won't solve the problem and will keep phone makers and carriers in the lucrative game of selling theft insurance and replacement devices. A better way -- one contained in a pending state measure -- would have the feature on duty automatically with no onus on the owner to activate it. The public wants and deserves a protective measure well within the reach of these tech giants.