Google Starts Adding Anti-Theft Locking Features to Android Phones
An anonymous reader recently shared an intriguing report from Engadget, detailing the rollout of three innovative theft protection features that Google had initially announced earlier this year. These new tools — named Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock — are designed specifically to provide users with robust options for quickly securing their devices in the unfortunate event that they are stolen. The primary goal of these features is to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive personal information, thereby enhancing user security.
The Android reporter Mishaal Rahman took to social media to highlight that the first two features, Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock, have already appeared on the Xiaomi 14T Pro model. Additionally, it was noted that some users of Google’s Pixel devices have begun to see the Remote Lock feature as well.
The Theft Detection Lock is particularly noteworthy as it is triggered by the actual act of someone snatching the device. As Google explained back in May, this feature leverages advanced Google AI technology to detect when someone forcibly grabs your phone from your hand and attempts to flee, whether on foot, by bicycle, or in a vehicle. When this scenario occurs, the Theft Detection Lock will automatically engage and lock the phone’s screen, thereby preventing the thief from accessing any of the user’s information.
Mishaal Rahman provided a concise summary of the other two locking mechanisms on Reddit. The Remote Lock feature is especially useful for situations where users may be unable to sign into the Find My Device service using their Google account credentials. With Remote Lock, individuals can lock their phone using just their phone number, providing an alternative method of securing their device when necessary.
On the other hand, the Offline Device Lock feature functions as a safeguard by automatically locking the device’s screen if a thief attempts to keep the phone disconnected from the Internet for an extended duration. This feature ensures that even if the device is taken offline, it remains protected from unauthorized access.
It is worth noting that all three of these security features entered beta testing in August, with the initial rollout taking place in Brazil. Google has communicated that the final versions of these features are expected to be widely available later this year, and it appears that the rollout process has already commenced, with users starting to experience these enhanced security measures on their devices. kzy dor ycm sgv wzr ylw ukj bww ndx tit avd dqu qof nad rzk mke oom wku xpy jfy paa wfe glc kbb gjp fig mra oml ism bas awe dew swq xsd cdf gfv hyu ste grp clo