Hyderabad: Earlier this year, Google announced new theft protection features -- including Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock -- for Android in the hopes of keeping the user data safe if someone steals the device. According to tech journalist Mishaal Rahman, the tech giant has started rolling out these features to users in the US.
Rahman spotted the Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock features on his Xiaomi 14T Pro smartphone but did not find the Remote Lock feature. In a blog post, Google confirmed the availability of these features to all devices running Android 10+ through a Google Play services update later this year. Let's take a detailed look at these new Android features.
Android theft protection features
The Theft Detection Lock feature uses Google AI to detect when someone snatches your phone from your hand and tries to run on foot or via a vehicle. If the model senses common motion associated with theft, it automatically locks the phone screen, barring thieves from easily accessing data on your smartphone.
In case the Theft Detection Lock fails to identify theft, Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock features come to the rescue. If a thief tries to disconnect the stolen device for prolonged periods, the Offline Device Lock feature automatically locks the screen even when the device is off the grid. It can also recognise other signs of a stolen device, including when excessive failed authentication attempts are made.
The Remote Lock feature also lets you lock your phone's screen from far away with just your phone number and a quick security challenge using any device. Google says it will buy you time to recover your account details and access features like Find My Device. If the thief tries to disable Find My Device or extend screen timeout before you can remotely lock your phone, they would be required to enter your phone PIN, password, or biometric authentication to change these settings.
Additionally, Google is making it more difficult to reset a stolen device with an upgrade to Android's factory reset protection. If a thief forces a reset of the stolen device, they will not be able to set it up again without knowing your Google account credentials. This will make the phone unfit for resale, thus reducing incentives for phone theft.
