Google’s annual developer-aimed I/O conference kicked off yesterday, 15 May, where the tech giant announced a swathe of new projects and features — with a heavy focus on AI, naturally.
The conference is still underway, with the recent crop of announcements focused on Google’s improvements to its Android mobile operating system. The second beta version of Android 15 has just been released and with it, Google has announced a suite of security-related features “[t]o help keep your device and your data safe before, during and after a theft attempt,” it said in a blog post.
Don’t even think about it
In an attempt to deter Android device theft, Google has four new features “that will make thieves think twice about trying.”
Firstly, an upgrade to your device’s factory reset feature aims to make bypassing said feature by force resetting it more difficult by requiring your device or Google account credentials before the stolen device can be set up again. Google reckons this will make the stolen device “unsellable” but we have our doubts.
Next, in cases where the target of the theft isn’t the device but your data inside, Google is implementing ‘Private space’ on your device where you can secure sensitive apps or documents behind a PIN, password, or biometric authentication as an extra step in protecting your data.
Additionally, disabling security features like Find My Device or trying to extend your device’s screen wake time will require your PIN, password, or biometric authentication as yet another layer of protection. Along with this, Google’s new ‘enhanced authentication’ will require biometric authentication “for accessing and changing critical Google account and device settings, like changing your PIN, disabling theft protection or accessing Passkeys, from an untrusted location.”
The factory reset protection and Private space features will be released with Android 15 while the enhanced authentication protections “will be released to select devices later this year.”
Hands off my Android
In the inevitable unfortunate event that your device is snatched out of your hand, a new AI-powered Theft Detection Lock will automatically lock your device screen to prevent thieves from accessing your device while it’s still unlocked.
Then, Offline Device Lock does pretty much what you’d expect. “If a thief tries to disconnect your phone for prolonged periods of time, Offline Device Lock automatically locks your screen to help protect your data even when your device is off the grid.”
Both of these features will be available to devices running Android 10 or later “through a Google Play services update later this year.”
Reacting after the fact
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, theft is unavoidable. In cases where your device has ‘found a new home’, Google’s Find My Device feature already allows remote locking or wiping a stolen or lost phone. But that requires you to log into your Google account to implement.
If you’re still reeling from the loss of your precious rectangle and can’t remember those details, Google is making it even easier to lock your device screen using your phone number and a “quick security challenge” from any other device. “This buys you time to recover your account details and access additional helpful options in Find My Device, including sending a full factory reset command to completely wipe the device.”
This update will also ship later this year to Android 10+ devices through a Google Play services update.
