Google is making it easier to protect your data if your phone gets stolen

Google is reportedly pushing a feature update to some Android phones, adding anti-theft functionalities such as Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock. The latter isn't exactly new, and many Android users already have it. However, the Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock are brand new functionalities announced back in May and increase data security.

Anti-theft features

The Theft Detection Lock is the fanciest of them all. It leverages AI and the device's sensors to detect common motions associated with theft. For instance, if someone pulls the phone out of your hand and starts running. It can also detect motions related to a bike or a car. The phone will automatically lock and block all access to your apps and data.

On the other hand, Offline Device Lock locks your device when the thief tries to keep your phone disconnected for long periods.

As for Remote Lock, it allows you to lock your phone remotely only by using your phone number in case Find My Device is switched off or you can't log into your Google account to do it yourself.

It's still unclear to which phones Google is seeding the new features, but you might want to check if you have the latest version of Google Play Services.

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