South Korea’s largest mobile operator SK Telecom released two smart trackers which sound an alarm when users move 20 metres to 30 metres away from their smartphones.

The trackers monitor the location of smartphones via Bluetooth. A smaller version, which features a replaceable battery, sets off alarms on both the smartphone and the tracker and is priced KRW29,900 ($26).

A larger model only sounds an alarm on the handset when the owner moves out of range. It lasts about a year and is priced KRW14,900.

According to data from Green Consumer Network, 1.14 million smartphones were lost in South Korea annually over the past five years, with only 3.3 per cent recovered, Yonhap News Agency reported.