Google shields your Android phone with anti-theft features: Find details inside

In its quest to enhance the privacy and security of Android phones, tech giant Google has started unveiling new features, including the ‘Thief Detection Lock’, ‘Offline Device Lock’ and ‘Remote Lock’. These features are aimed at preventing the theft of Android smartphones and are expected to be made available to users soon. Earlier this year, these features were tested in specific regions before Google could start the global rollout. 

- The most interesting feature is the Theft Detection Lock, which locks the phone using artificial intelligence if it comes across any suspicious motion, which includes someone grabbing it from the owner’s hand. In case, the device is snatched, the screen automatically gets locked. Thus, this feature prevents the access of important apps and data on your smartphone. 

- Offline Device Lock is another exciting feature that protects the data when a thief puts the phone into offline mode and tries to stop the owner from tracking it. The feature gets activated when a phone is disconnected from the internet for a while. 

- Another useful feature being introduced is the Remote Lock, which allows users to lock their device remotely using their phone number. This feature further enhances smartphone security. 

While these features provide Android users better protection against theft, the Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock work for Android phones running version 10 and above. In contrast, the Remote Lock option is available for smartphones running Android 5 and above. Since Google is rolling out these features in phases, some devices are yet to receive them. However, if you do not find these features on your device, you can try updating your Google Play Services.  

In other developments, Google has expanded the availability of Gemini Live to all Android users. Gemini Live, which is a two-way voice feature for the Gemini AI chatbot, was only available to Gemini Advanced users with a Google.