Method and apparatus for location-based recovery of stolen mobile devices

A method, apparatus, and system for locating mobile devices. The system includes a location-aware mobile device. The location-aware mobile device includes a location-aware mechanism embedded in a platform firmware layer of the location-aware mobile device. The system also includes a central database to receive location information from the location-aware mobile device over a network. If the location-aware mobile device has been stolen, lost, or misplaced, the central database reports the stolen, lost, or misplaced location-aware mobile device and its location to appropriate persons to enable the location-aware mobile device to be recovered.