At this year’s I/O conference, Google introduced a new set of anti-theft features. These are part of Android15 . These include a theft detection lock, an offline device lock, and the ability to lock your device remotely. Google is now making a start by gradually rolling out theft detection lock to a limited group of beta users in Brazil.

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As Mishaal Rahman (via Droid Life) pointed out, Google chose Brazil as the first test area for its new theft detection feature, presumably due to extensive user feedback on the high rate of smartphone theft in the country. This feature uses various smartphone sensors to block unauthorized access before it even happens.

Theft Detection Lock activates when your phone detects it is stolen, effectively locking it. Remote Lock lets you protect your data by remotely locking or wiping your device after verifying your identity on a connected device. Offline Device Lock adds another layer of security by automatically locking your phone if someone tries to keep it offline for too long.

The system uses advanced AI to detect potential theft by recognizing suspicious patterns, such as sudden movements of the device. It also takes into account other clues, such as unusual network activity. For example, if your phone connects to an unknown network or stays disconnected from its usual network for too long, the system automatically increases security.

Anti-theft detection lock comes to more Android phones

Google introduced the automatic anti-theft feature as an important part of privacy and security improvements in the latest Android version. Moreover, this theft detection feature is not limited to Android 15; Google plans to integrate it into older Android versions as well.

According to Rahman, Google plans to extend this feature to all devices running Android 10 and newer via a Google Play Services update. This, along with other anti-theft measures, will eventually be available globally, including in the US. While we don’t have exact release dates yet, it’s clear that Google is taking a proactive stance to protect user data and devices.

Thanks: Edward