A new Android feature locks the screen if your phone is stolen.
Users in the United States and other countries claim that they already have the feature.
Google has begun implementing a set of new features designed to make unauthorized access to user information more difficult. According to a user on a discussion platform, these features are appearing in a recent update after activating two of them on their Xiaomi 14T Pro: Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock. However, some users have only found the third feature, known as Remote Lock.
The most notable feature is Theft Detection Lock, which uses artificial intelligence to lock the device's screen when it detects movements typical of a theft, such as when someone tries to snatch the phone from the user's hands. On the other hand, Offline Device Lock activates the screen lock when the device is offline for a while, and Remote Lock allows users to lock their phone using just their phone number, in case they cannot access the Find My Device feature with their password.
So far, some users have not seen these features on their devices, such as the case of a Pixel 6 owner. The Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock features are compatible with any Android device running Android 10 or higher, while at least Android 5 is required to use Remote Lock. If these features are not yet available, it is suggested to try updating Google Play Services, although Google typically rolls out updates gradually, so some users may have to wait a bit to receive them.
