Google to bring new anti-theft features to Android phones soon

Besides improving the screening process to block malware-laced apps in the Android ecosystem, Google has also periodically released user privacy features to curb phone thefts. Some of the prominent features include Failed Authentication Lock, a feature that automatically locks the device's screen after excessive failed authentication attempts.

Last year, it introduced Identity Check, which requires the user to utilise biometrics when performing certain actions outside of trusted places like the home or office Wi-Fi router.

Now, the search engine giant has announced to bring more advanced anti-theft features to Android phones.

Google will make more hard for thieves to guess the phone's PIN, pattern, or password by increasing the lockout time after failed attempts.

What if the child tries to unlock the phone and fails too many times? Will the phone get locked out for hours? Google has taken into consideration of a possibility of an unintentional lockout scenario. To ensure you aren’t locked out by mistake, the phone will be able to read the pattern and record if there are identical incorrect guesses. This prevents the phone from counting it as a failed attempt. This feature will be available on phones with Android 15 or newer versions.

Anti-theft feature for Android phones.

Google is also bringing more control for the user to remotely lock the stolen or misplaced Android phone. It will offer a new optional security question/challenge to the process. This helps ensure that only the real device owner can initiate a lock, adding another layer of security. This will be available on phones with Android 10 or newer versions.

Google is bringing more anti-theft features to Android phones.

Most of the anti-theft features are optional on Android phones. But, due to a rise in mobile thefts in Brazil, Google is making two security features--Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock-- on by default on Android phones sold in the South American country.

Google has promised to bring moremulti-layered security features to Android phones in the coming months.

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