Android 16 To Make Smartphone Data Hard to Steal, Here’s How

Google is preparing to roll out a new anti-theft feature to all eligible phones with the next Android update. Launched initially for Pixel and select Samsung Galaxy phones, a feature called Identity Check puts a biometric lock on critical system settings, preventing unauthorised changes and making data theft more difficult. Android 16 will standardise the Identity Check feature for all smartphones, making their data hard to steal.

Following its limited rollout on Pixel and Galaxy devices, the feature is now appearing on other brands like OnePlus, according to Android Authority. This means Google is planning to introduce Identity Check to more phones with the next major Android update. Identity Check will be available to all supported phones as part of Google’s anti-theft features, available under Settings > Google > Theft Protection.

Identity Check requires the user’s biometrics to give them access to settings crucial to the phone’s security, such as changing the password and accessing the stored passwords. This security check discourages thieves from accessing data on the phone — a major cause of phone thefts — even if they know the phone’s password, PIN, or pattern lock. When turned on, Identity Check kicks in only when the phone is not in a trusted location set by the owner.

Google rolled out Identity Check to Pixel phones last year, while its close collaboration with Samsung resulted in the feature’s arrival on high-end Galaxy phones. According to the report, the selective rollout was based on how Identity Check works. When someone other than the owner tries to access sensitive information stored on the phone outside of the trusted location, Identity Check asks the person to provide biometrics through a prompt dialogue. It does not accept conventional unlocking methods, such as the phone’s PIN, password, or pattern — unlike the regular process of unlocking the phone, where the system pops up alternative unlocking methods in the absence of biometric inputs.

Identity Check is expected to be available in the latest beta versions for different brands, per the report. However, a broader rollout will take place as part of the Android 16 release to eligible phones later this year.

Read more: OpenAI Launches GPT 4.1 Flagship AI Model, Claims Its Cheaper Than GPT-4o