The Design Council has launched a Mobile Phone Security Challenge, as part of Design Out Crime, an initiative from the Home Office Design & Technology Alliance Against Crime, and the Design Council. The Mobile Phone Security Challenge is also supported by the Technology Strategy Board.
The Mobile Phone Security Challenge is offering a total of 400,000 to designers and technology experts to come up with new ways of securing handsets, the data they contain, and their future use as electronic wallets when m-commerce technology is introduced into the mainstream.
Applicants need to submit a tender outlining how they will approach the challenge and identifying any relevant experience they may have. If selected, they will be allocated money for research and development from the 400,000 fund, and will then be required to spend six months developing designs and working prototypes in one or more of three key areas:
- Making mobile phone handsets harder or less desirable to steal
- Making the data stored on mobile phones harder or less desirable to steal
- Making future m-commerce transactions secure and fraud-proof
They will produce market-ready applications, which may include hardware and software for handsets, new services and other innovations. These will be showcased and promoted by early 2010, with a view to their widespread and rapid take-up by the market.
This challenge is the result of work undertaken last year, when we engaged young victims of crime, police, mobile industry experts and designers to understand current and future issues regarding mobile phone crime, says Sebastian Conran, Chair of the Design & Technology Alliance Against Crime. The Alliance has prioritised five areas and is working hard to deliver insights that the UKs design and technology sector can use to deliver innovative solutions to reduce the instances of crime and antisocial behaviour. 
