Google took advantage of I/O 2024 to unveil the new features coming to Android, notably Android 15. In the wake of the event, a blog post entitled Android Theft Protection features protect your device and data was released on May 15, 2024.
To begin with, the Mountain View firm specifies that it has improved and introduced new functions “that will make thieves think twice before taking their chances”. This first involves protection against factory reset, an operation which now requires knowing the previous credentials of the device or Google account to configure the smartphone again.
In order to prevent criminals from accessing information in sensitive applications, such as banking data for example, we learned of the arrival of Private Space, a functionality allowing certain applications to be locked with a PIN code or biometric authentication. These will also be hidden in a dedicated section at the bottom of the application drawer.
Google then points out that turning off Find My Device or extending screen time now requires a PIN, password, or biometric authentication, and that biometric authentication will be required to access and change THE “essential parameters” of the Google account and the device.
Updates to Factory Reset Protection and Private Space will be released as part of Android 15. The improved authentication protections will be available for select devices later this year.
Against snatching, we discover the arrival of two functionalities which can “automatically recognize suspicious signals and proactively protect your data on the device”. The first, called Theft Detection Lock, automatically locks the smartphone using AI when it detects “a common movement associated with flight”.
The second, Offline Device Lock, locks the device when it recognizes abnormal situations. Google mentions in particular the fact of disconnecting the phone for prolonged periods or failed authentication attempts multiple times.
Finally, Android smartphone users will be entitled to a new Find My Device function called Remote Lock. By activating it, a user will be able to lock their smartphone on android.com/lock by simply entering their phone number and performing “a quick security test”.
These last three features will be available “later in the year” on smartphones running at least Android 10 via an update to Google Play services.