Android is making stolen phones unusable with enhanced theft protection

What just happened? Modern Android phones already include theft-protection features that lock devices and prevent unauthorized factory resets, making it harder for thieves to resell stolen phones. However, Google plans to strengthen these safeguards by blocking access to all functionality on stolen devices.

Google hosted The Android Show: I/O Edition this week, offering a preview of Android 16 and Wear OS 6. While Gemini AI stole the spotlight, the company also showcased an updated Factory Reset Protection feature aimed at making stolen Android devices virtually unusable. Updates to the OS will lock down any phone when it detects an unauthorized reset or attempts to bypass existing safeguards, rendering it unusable to thieves. Owners can restore recovered devices through authentication checks.

Google did not share technical details about the new feature. However, a screenshot suggests the updated tool will disable a device if it detects an attempt to force a ...