Google has been announcing upgrades to its apps and services ever since its I/O developer conference kicked off two days ago. Now the search engine giant has announced a new suite of advanced theft protection features to protect your data from criminals.
Factory Reset Protection and Private Space
First and foremost is factory reset protection. Most thieves try to reset a stolen device to sell it, but Google is now making it difficult to set up a new device after resetting. It will now require your device’s credentials or Google account details.
Private space will help protect your data on a stolen device by creating a separate area on your phone that can be hidden and locked behind a PIN. This should prove useful for sensitive information such as financial or health details.
More Authentication for Sensitive Settings
Disabling important security measures such as Find My Device or extending the screen time out now requires authentication such as your PIN, password, or biometrics. This extra layer of secur
ity prevents criminals from keeping your device unlocked or untrackable online.
To protect you if a thief knows your PIN, Google has introduced enhanced authentication. When enabled, this feature requires biometrics to access and change critical Google account and device settings, such as changing your PIN, disabling theft protection, or accessing Passkeys from an untrusted location.
Automatic Locking and Remote Lock
Google has also added an automatic AI-powered screen lock in case your phone is snatched by a thief. This feature can detect if your phone is suddenly grabbed from your hand and is being taken away in a sprint or on a bike or car.
Additionally, if a thief tries to keep your device offline for extended periods, the phone will automatically lock its screen to prevent any data theft.
Last but not least, the Remote Lock feature will let you lock your phone’s screen remotely using any other device with your phone number and a quick security challenge.
Most of these updates are meant to roll out
to all Android 10+ devices through a Google Play Services update later this year, but some are only for Android 15.
Source: Pro Pakistani