Google’s new range of security features designed to combat mobile phone theft – including an AI-powered tool which can sense when a device is snatched – have begun rolling out to users.
Theft Detection Lock uses artificial intelligence (AI) and sensors inside a device to identify when a thief has grabbed and fled with a user’s phone and locks the screen to prevent them accessing it or any data stored on it.
That feature is accompanied by a tool called Remote Lock, which enables users to remotely lock their device using just their phone number should it be lost or stolen, which Google said will help users who cannot remember their Google credentials in the moments after a theft, but still need to secure their personal data.
The tools are rolling out as part of Android 15, the latest version of the firm’s mobile operating system, having first been announced earlier this year.
At the time, the company said they were being introduced in response to ongoing concerns around rising levels of mobile phone theft, as well as feedback from its own staff and users in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and in London.
In October last year, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and London Mayor Sadiq Khan held a meeting with tech companies including Google about phone companies doing more to help combat phone theft after a rise in incidents in the capital over the previous 12 months.
“Phone theft is a widespread concern in many countries – 97 phones are robbed or stolen every hour in Brazil, and a phone is reported stolen every six minutes in London alone,” Google said in a blog post about the new tools.
“The GSM Association reports millions of devices stolen every year, and the numbers continue to grow.
“With our phones becoming increasingly central to storing sensitive data, like payment information and personal details, losing one can be an unsettling experience.
“That’s why we developed and thoroughly beta tested a full suite of features designed to protect you and your data at every stage – before, during, and after device theft.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here