3 Hong Kong, the mobile unit of Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings Limited (HTHKH), has partnered with Canada-based Fixmo to launch a security application for smartphone users in the city.
Amy Lung, HTHKH’s managing director of mobile, said the new “3 Super Safe” mobile device management application combines anti-theft, anti-virus and data protection features to help customers protect their private data in smartphones and minimize cost and inconvenience in the event of handset loss.
According to statistics, mobile theft and snatch cases in Hong Kong rose nearly 25% from 2009 to 2011. Last year, for example, about 20 mobile phones were lost or stolen in Hong Kong each day. A recent survey also showed that nearly 90% of smartphone users have not installed security software, and indicated that the general public’s awareness of mobile security and private data leakage has room to improve.
These figures, noted Lung, showed rising market demand for mobile device management applications.
“Serving customer needs is always our top priority. As nearly 60% of our 3G and 4G postpaid customers are smart device users, navigating the dangers that smart device users now face, including insecure Wi-Fi connections, malware, viruses, privacy loss and data theft has become a real challenge,” said Lung.
3 HK is offering the 3 Super Safe app, managed by Fixmo, as a value-added service for its mobile subscribers at HK$18 ($2.3) a month. Non-subscribers can also download the app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store for HK$28 ($3.6) per month.