In a bid to enhance user data protection, Google has launched an AI-driven anti-theft feature for Android devices, following its preview earlier this year.
Google has begun rolling out an AI-powered anti-theft upgrade for Android phones, designed to enhance the security of users’ personal information. This development follows a preview of the Theft Detection Lock tool announced by Google in May. The feature is engineered to recognise suspicious activity, such as abrupt movements indicating a phone has been snatched, potentially involving running, cycling, or driving away with the device. In such instances, the phone’s screen is immediately locked, helping to safeguard the user’s data.
The wider availability of Theft Detection Lock has been confirmed by Android journalist Mishaal Rahman, who noticed the feature on his Xiaomi 14T Pro. Rahman shared his observations through a Reddit post, noting the presence of Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock on his phone, but not Remote Lock. Meanwhile, numerous Pixel users in the United States reported having access to Remote Lock, although not necessarily the other security features. The presence of these features can be checked through the settings menu on Android phones under “anti-theft”.
This AI-based anti-theft tool utilises the phone’s gyroscope and accelerometer to identify “common motion associated with theft”, according to Google. While specific motion parameters haven’t been disclosed, it is presumed that the detection involves sudden jerking movements followed by rapid acceleration. Upon detection of such motion patterns, the tool automatically locks the phone screen.
The introduction of the Theft Detection Lock is part of a broader suite of security measures by Google, which were unveiled earlier this year. These measures aim to protect mobile phone data before, during, and after a potential theft. Key features include:
- Enhanced difficulty in performing a factory reset to prevent unauthorised reconfiguration under a new account.
- Creation of private spaces for sensitive applications.
- Marking a phone as lost using the Find My Device feature to facilitate tracking.
- Automatic locking initiated after multiple failed authentication attempts.
- Offline locking capability for devices not connected to a network.
- Remote lock function, enabling users to secure their screens with minimal input via a phone number and a swift security challenge.
These new security measures will be implemented through an update to Google Play services. Certain features will, however, only be available in Android 15, the latest iteration of the operating system. This roll-out represents Google’s ongoing effort to equip Android devices with sophisticated security tools to withstand contemporary challenges to user safety and data privacy.
Source: Noah Wire Services