Google has introduced a new set of advanced theft security features to protect your phone and data. These features will be available on Android 10+ devices through a Google Play Service update by the end of this year, some features will also be included in Android 15.
Better device and data security to prevent theft before it occurs
Strengthen the security of your device to prevent theft with new and improved security features that will make thieves think twice before stealing.
Factory Reset Upgrade: Factory reset upgrades prevent resets by thieves. Most thieves, after stealing the phone, immediately reset it and resell it. But this has been made more difficult with the upgrade to Android’s factory reset security. With this upgrade, if a thief tries to reset a stolen device, they won’t be able to reset it without knowing your device or Google Account credentials. This will reduce the incidents of theft.
Private Space hides your sensitive apps: Usually some thieves just want the device, but some try to extract money by stealing important data from the phone. Private Space is a new feature that lets you create a separate space in your phone that you can hide and lock with a different PIN. With this, your personal information such as health or financial information can remain safe.
Steps to change sensitive device settings to protect data: Disabling Find My Device or extending the screen timeout now requires your PIN, password, or biometric authentication. With this, criminals who want to keep your device unlocked or untrackable online will have to overcome another layer of security.
Boost in authentication for security: When the new authentication is turned on, biometrics will be required to access and change Google Account and device settings, such as changing your PIN, disabling theft protection, or bypassing the passkey.