Google is rolling out several new security features to protect your phone from theft, even if you're not using the latest Android version. These features will be available to phones for Android 10 or later, which is a significant portion of Android devices in use today.
One key feature is the 'Theft Detection Lock'. This uses your phone's sensors to detect if it's been snatched away, and automatically locks the screen to prevent thieves from accessing your information. It can even lock the phone if someone tries to take it offline, making it harder to remotely wipe or steal your data.
Additionally, if your phone is lost or stolen, you'll also have a new way to lock it remotely. Just visit a website (android.com/lock) on another device and enter your phone number to lock it down. This can be helpful if you find yourself without your phone but have access to a friend's device.
Read more: How to protect your Android from password stealing apps?
Android 15 itself also has some new security features, like a ‘Private Space’ to store sensitive apps and information with a separate PIN. There's also improved protection when resetting a phone, requiring the owner's login to set it up again. These features arrive later this year through a Google Play Services update.
Google is working day-by-day on security measures and these new features are undeniably an initiative toward it. While it will now be possible to protect your phone and data from theft or stolen, we can expect more from Google in future.