There can be a lot at stake if your phone gets stolen. Nowadays, so much of our lives are run from these small yet powerful devices. No longer just a means of communicating with anyone at any time, you can also go shopping, take care of your banking, and even attend doctor’s appointments. So if this device, which is so central to daily tasks, is stolen, you’re not just losing access to an expensive tech product. You’re left vulnerable to someone potentially exploiting that sensitive data.
Fortunately, Android is addressing some of these vulnerabilities in its latest update. Find out more about theft protection and the interesting features you’ll soon find on your android phone.
Theft protection features
Powered by AI, Android’s theft protection update has an array of features to protect you if your phone is stolen, including:
- Theft Detection Lock
- Offline Device Lock
- Remote Lock
Theft Detection Lock has several features that lock down your device if it is stolen. It uses an algorithm to detect multiple signals of theft, for example, sensors that gauge if someone has snatched your phone and is trying to make off with it by foot or bike.
Meanwhile, Offline Device Lock protects your phone against a thief trying to take it offline to avoid a remote wipe via Android’s Find My Device or take data from the phone in offline mode. If your phone suddenly goes offline for a long period of time, Offline Device Lock will lock your phone screen to prevent a thief from exploiting your information.
The Remote Lock feature helps you take action as soon as your phone is stolen. You can use it to lock your phone from afar, even with just a verified phone number. You can regain access through Find My Device, which also lets you secure, locate or remotely delete all your device’s data.
Android 15-specific features
The previous features are available on most Android 10+ devices through a Google Play update, but Google has also rolled out some more advanced features that are only available on Android 15. These include:
- Locking down your phone in the event of multiple login attempts, which may indicate that a thief’s trying to gain access
- Enhanced factory reset protection, which makes it harder for thieves to reset your device without access to your Google credentials
- Sensitive settings now requiring your PIN, password, or biometric authentication
Another opt-in feature called Identity Check is planned for rollout later in the year. This will add a biometric authentication requirement whenever you try to perform sensitive actions such as changing your PIN or disabling theft protection.
Cora is a digital copywriter for SSLs.com. Having eight years of experience in online content creation, she is a versatile writer with an interest in a wide variety of topics, ranging from technology to marketing.