The smartphone we carry around in our pocket can be single-handedly responsible for our communication, navigation, and payment requirements. Digital wallet apps can be used to store your card details, so that phones equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) can make contactless payments on the fly. There's also the photos app that stores gigabytes worth of memories in the form of images and videos.
Long story short, many people are one theft away from losing access to a vital tool of modern life. Having a phone taken by a thief can be anxiety inducing, given the amount of personal information that's on our smartphones. Though most banking apps require their own layer of biometric authentication, your messages, photos, and other data are left exposed to prying eyes. To combat this, Android is rolling out a slew of new anti-theft features, making it easier for you to immediately deal with such scenarios.
Most of these features will be rolling out to devices running Android 10 and higher. They will be made available through Google Play services updates, but certain features are reserved for phones running Android 15. With that being said, here's a slightly more detailed look at everything Android's new theft detection and safety features bring.