Your Android phone will soon get better at deterring thieves

Google is making it easier to keep the data on your Android devices safe, by bringing anti-theft features to the upcoming Android 15. Android is the most popular operating system for smartphones, and every generation of Android devices is a little more expensive than the previous.

This increase in value means that thieves are more likely to try to steal it. TechRadar reports that Google is bringing features to Android that make it difficult for thieves to sell your Android devices for a profit if they ever get stolen.

AI is playing a huge role in Android’s anti-theft strategy

The Google blog reveals that Android devices will soon be able to detect when they are snatched. They are calling this feature “Theft Detection Lock”. Say you are walking down a street and someone grabs your phone from your hands. Using AI, the Theft detection Lock will be able to sense motions associated with theft.

With Theft Detection Lock on, the Android device will automatically lock itself, to prevent thieves from stealing your data. Theft Detection Lock is coming to Android 10+ devices via Google Play Services.

Alongside Theft Detection Lock, Google is introducing Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock. The former automatically locks your phone shortly after it goes offline. The latter allows you to lock your stolen device by just knowing the phone number and answers to a security challenge. Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock are also coming to Android 10+ devices.

Google is enhancing Android security with tougher Factory reset

In Android 15, Google is bringing an upgrade to Factory reset. This should make it more difficult for thieves to quickly erase your device data and resell your phone. After the thief initiates a factory reset, they will need to know your Google account credentials before setting up the device again.

To deter thieves who want to extract your data, Google is bringing Private Space to Android 15. Private Space provides users with a PIN-protected area on their phone where they can hide and lock apps that handle sensitive data.

Google is also improving authentication on select devices. If you are on a supported device, it will require more steps to change sensitive settings. Improved authentication means that your device will require biometrics when changing sensitive settings on your Android device or Google account.