Google rolls out three new security features
Our cellphones really contain so much information about us that it makes your skin crawl when you dig deeper into the subject. Moreover, in most cases, a phone is also a key to all sorts of doors, from membership in the nearby gym to bank accounts holding all your life savings. For anyone, losing a phone is a worst nightmare, and not because the misfortune entails the need to buy a new one, but due to the immediately arising need to change all passwords and code words, and more.
And the trend is upward: in the first half of 2024 alone, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported 552,000 cases of identity theft in the U.S., with a notable portion linked to mobile device theft, and the rest of the world follows suit. As for financial fraud, BioCatch states that over the past year, the share of cases in which stolen devices were instrumental to such illegal activities has grown by 43%.
Various news outlets reported recently that Google began rolling out three new features aimed at making theft of an Android device lost labor. The features are Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock. Their names basically give up what they are made for, and in light of the stats given above, all of them should come in handy in certain scenarios. Let’s see how each of these features works.
Theft Detection Lock Android feature
Designed to protect users' personal information immediately upon detecting potential theft, this feature leans on artificial intelligence (AI) and the device's internal sensors (gyroscope and accelerometer) to detect motions commonly associated with theft, such as a sudden snatch or rapid movement away from the user. When such behavior is registered, the phone automatically locks, restricting access to apps and data.
Offline Device Lock Android feature
This one is designed to ensure that even when the device is not connected to a network, wrongdoers cannot access anything therein. Keeping a phone offline to bypass safeguards is a known tactic, so this feature locks the device if it remains disconnected from the internet for an extended period.
Remote Lock
Giving an additional layer of security, this feature allows users to lock their devices remotely. What’s more important, you don’t need to log in to your Google account or use the Find My Device feature to attain this goal.
These features were first announced during Google's I/O 2024 event in May 2024. Initially, they were tested in Brazil, and as of October 2024, the worldwide rollout is in progress. The process is gradual, though, so if there’s nothing resembling these features in the Security section of your device’s configuration, just check back after the next update.
