Google introduced three new features to the Android operating system to help block stolen cell phones. These features will be available globally, initially tested in Brazil, an important market for Google where approximately one million cell phone thefts are reported annually.
One of the features uses artificial intelligence to automatically lock the device screen in case of detecting abrupt movements that suggest a theft by force. Another option will allow users to remotely block the phone by entering the phone number on a webpage, without the need for personal passwords. The third feature activates automatic device locking in events such as SIM card removal or prolonged loss of internet connection.
These new features will undergo a pilot test in Brazil starting in July and will be offered to all users with Android 10 or newer devices in the coming months. In Brazil, these options are added to the Safe Cell application, launched by the Government in December, which also allows remote blocking of stolen phones. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Justice, in the first six months of its operation, about two million users downloaded the application and around 50,000 theft, robbery, or loss alerts were registered.
