Samsung promised to add a new feature to its smartphones allowing owners to entirely deactivate their devices if they are stolen. Samsung said its new feature would be available by July 1. Samsung’s plan would ensure that its phones “have absolutely no value in the marketplace once they’re stolen.”

"Kill switch" will disable stolen phones and will undercut the value. Roughly 1.6 million Americans were victims of a smartphone-related crime last year. Approximately 40 percent of robberies in major cities now involve mobile devices, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

Law enforcement agencies across the country say Apple devices are the most popular target for thieves because they hold the greatest value on the black market. Once stolen, the devices are redistributed to buyers as far away as Hong Kong.