Google unveils AI‑driven theft protection for smartphones
Google is taking a stand against smartphone theft by introducing new security features. The company announced Theft Detection Lock, which utilizes artificial intelligence to protect devices.
Losing a phone today means losing not only the physical device but also important personal data—from banking apps to emails and home management systems. For users, it can be distressing when a thief unexpectedly snatches their phone on the street.
Unfortunately, thefts involving electric bikes or motorcycles have become all too common in several Western European cities. In response, Google has decided to introduce new protective features in the Android system, which were unveiled at the Google I/O 2024 conference.
The Detection Lock - a theft prevention solution from Google
One of the features is a lock that activates when the system detects a theft. Thanks to artificial intelligence, phones can recognize sudden movements characteristic of theft, such as snatching from the hand and quickly moving away. In such a situation, the smartphone will immediately lock, preventing the thief from accessing the data.
What other features are worth using?
Google isn't stopping with this solution alone. To make it harder to sell stolen phones, the company has introduced additional security measures, such as Offline Device Lock and Factory Reset Protection.
The Offline Device Lock feature will lock the phone when disconnected from the network and after failed authorization attempts. Meanwhile, Factory Reset Protection prevents a thief from resetting the device to factory settings without Google account data. Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock will be available for Android 10 and newer devices, while the enhanced reset protection feature will be available only for Android 15.
