CORK, Ireland — In the global telecommunications marketplace where smartphones are becoming more prevalent every day and the data held on these devices is becoming more sensitive, telecommunications companies and retailers are challenged to package cutting edge phones with similarly advanced warranty and insurance programs.
Cork, Ireland-based technology company, Yougetitback, was very early to make the connection between the device being insured and the onboard technology: “If we could come up with smartphone software that would empower the customer to track and recover their phone and back that up with a comprehensive back-end service bureau, we could immediately tap into a very appealing market,” said Paul Prendergast, Chief Executive Officer, Yougetitback.
So began a business that today results in Yougetitback being awarded a US patent for systems and methods for detecting the loss, theft or unauthorized use of a mobile device (such as a mobile phone, a tablet etc.) and/or altering the functionality of the mobile device in response. This patent also covers the capability of a mobile device to monitor its use, its local environment, and/or its operating context to determine whether the mobile device is no longer within the control of an authorized user and to receive communications or generate an internal signal altering its functionality, such as, for example, instructing the device to enter a restricted use mode, or a surveillance mode, providing instructions to return the device and/or help prevent unauthorized use or unauthorized access to data. Additional features of the patent cover the gathering of forensic data regarding an unauthorized user, to assist in locating the unauthorized user and/or the mobile device. This represents a significant step forward in the development of Yougetitback’s patent portfolio.
Yougetitback sells its technology to insurance and warranty companies, who will in turn bundle it in their offerings. In doing so, the insurance company provides a market-proven sales incentive that has been shown to boost sales, by up to 10%. In addition, the end-user gains significant value as they can now very easily track, shut down and in some cases recover their mobile devices. Prendergast and his team have evolved Yougetitback from the original genesis and today its client-base reads like a who’s who of international business. The company includes Best Buy, Virgin Mobile, Carphone Warehouse, Global Warranty Group, CPP among its clients; it’s been covered extensively in the US media, opened a US office and now it is growing its team here in Cork.
“We’re definitely on the move,” Prendergast adds. “We’re growing in Eastern Europe, Asia and North America and we’re determined to support that growth with strong people who share our commitment to advancing the technology, to designing elegant user interfaces/experiences and to capitalizing on a tactile market opportunity for which we are very well positioned. The patent we’ve been awarded today is a testament to the hard work of our design and legal teams but it's also a statement of intent that this company is going to be a premium provider of valuable IP to our clients around the globe.”
Recognising the achievement, Mr.Sean Kelly, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Ireland South, and leading proponent of data safety, said today: “With so much personal and business information being saved on mobile devices, the risk of that information falling into the wrong hands, is real and present. It impacts on consumers, businesses and on our society in general, and it needs to be addressed in legislative forums, and on the devices themselves. I am very pleased that Yougetitback has taken on this challenge so comprehensively. It is an endorsement of the management team’s innovation and thought leadership, that the company is growing strongly, as there is a clear need for consumers and large organizations to be better protected, in this challenging environment.”
Mr.Sean Kelly, MEP will visit Yougetitback’s R&D and administrative headquarters in Cork, on today, Monday, July 23rd, to congratulate the executive and development teams, on winning this patent, discuss the broader issues of data protection and learn of the company’s continued recruitment plans in Cork.
