Key Takeaways
- Android 15 introduces new features, along with new tools to keep devices safe.
- It also updates the BiometricPrompt API that now limits authentication attempts to 5.
- Unsuccessful attempts will lock the phone, preventing unwanted access to apps and data.
While there are a lot of great features in Android 15, the ones that will often get overlooked by most people, are the ones that will keep devices protected against the unexpected. For a while we’ve known that new protection features were rolling out in Android, and now with the latest release we can finally see just how important these features really can be in everyday life.
With Android 15, users will now have access to a variety of new tools that will keep them safe, like Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock. And while the focus will be on all the new ways that Android can protect, some old ways are also getting improvements as well, as explained by Android expert Mishaal Rahman for Android Authority.
A necessary enhancement to protect users further
Rahman shares how Android 15 strengthens the BiometricPrompt API, one of the backbones of the OS’s security, which will now prevent thieves’ brute force attempts when they are trying an unlimited number of different inputs to figure out the password to your device. While there used to be a small layer of protection against this, it would require apps to be protected with a biometric signature in order for them to prevent access.
Now, with new changes to the BiometricPrompt API, there is a maximum number of five tries when it comes to authentication inputs in order to successfully access the contents of the device. If guessed incorrectly, the device will remain locked, preventing unwanted access. If you aren’t quite sure what all this means, you can check out the video posted by Rahman to maybe get a better understanding.
This is just one method in which Android keeps devices secure, in addition to a variety of new tools available to thwart bad players from accessing your device. If you have a compatible Pixel product, you can now download the latest Android 15 update, which not only delivers new safety and protection features, but also introduces a wide range of new and interesting tools that you’ll want to try.