Norton Survey Reveals One in Three Experience Cell Phone Loss, Theft

Norton Mobile Security allows users to locate and remotely wipe or lock their lost or stolen Android phones with a quick text message

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – – At a time when smartphone use has become engrained in everyday life as a primary way to communicate, work and share, a new survey from Norton reveals that 36 percent of consumers in the U.S. have fallen victim to cell phone loss or theft[1]. These results make it clear that there is a growing need to protect important and personal information stored on smartphones. To that end, Norton released today Norton Mobile Security 1.5, the only product for Android to seamlessly combine anti-theft features with powerful mobile antimalware, giving consumers a sense of security in the event their phone is lost or stolen.

Miami brings the heat…New York and Los Angeles are close behind
In the new survey commissioned by Norton, Miami is revealed as the city with the highest rate of cell phone loss or theft against the 20 most populated cities in the U.S. In fact, 52 percent of respondents in Miami have experienced cell phone loss/theft. New York and Los Angeles were the #2 and #3 cities in the survey with 49 and 44 percent of respondents experiencing loss/theft respectively.

Frustration was the most dominant feeling consumers experienced when their mobile phone was lost or stolen, likely because 87 percent could neither remotely lock nor remotely wipe their phone’s memory afterwards and more than half (54 percent) of all smartphone users did not password protect their phones. An overwhelming majority of respondents contacted their mobile service provider to resolve the situation as the first step and ultimately reported that it cost an average of $125.30 to resolve.

“The survey results are clear: cell phone loss and theft is a significant issue for consumers today,” said Laura Garcia-Manrique, vice president, Consumer Business Unit, Norton by Symantec. “Norton Mobile Security lets you determine your phone’s location, lock it up, or even wipe it clean in the event you’ll never see the device again. The response to the offering thus far – with more than 140,000 beta downloads and a 4 out of 5 star Android Market rating - confirms that consumers trust the Norton brand to protect them everywhere, regardless of the platform.”

Norton Mobile Security 1.5 for Android
In addition to the ability to locate and remotely lock or wipe an Android phone, Norton Mobile Security includes antimalware functionality that automatically scans for malicious applications or spyware, and call/text blocking to avoid annoying or unwanted calls and text messages.

Top 20 US Cities For Cell Phone Loss/Theft:

1. Miami – 52%
2. New York – 49%
3. Los Angeles – 44%
4. Phoenix – 41%
5. Sacramento – 41%
6. Chicago – 40%
7. Dallas – 39%
8. Houston – 37%
9. Philadelphia – 36%
10. Tampa – 36%
11. Cleveland – 36%
12. Boston – 35%
13. San Francisco – 35%
14. Atlanta – 34%
15. Orlando – 34%
16. Denver – 34%
17. Washington DC – 31%
18. Seattle – 31%
19. Detroit – 31%
20. Minneapolis – 29%

Product Availability
Norton Mobile Security is now available for a one-year license through select Symantec partners. Alternatively, consumers can download a free limited-trial beta version directly from the Android Market.

About Norton from Symantec

Symantec’s Norton products protect consumers from cybercrime with technologies like antivirus, anti-spyware and phishing protection-- while also being light on system resources. The company also provides services such as online backup and PC tuneup, and family online safety.


About Symantec

Symantec is a global leader in providing security, storage and systems management solutions to help consumers and organizations secure and manage their information-driven world. Our software and services protect against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently, enabling confidence wherever information is used or stored. More information is available at www.symantec.com.