After conducting a beta test in Brazil, Google has rolled out new theft protection features for Android smartphones, which users must opt to enable. The decision against automatic activation stems from insights gained during the test, noting significant behavioral differences between users in metropolitan and rural areas. Key features include Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock, utilizing AI to recognize theft patterns while minimizing false alarms. Developers used motion sensors and machine learning to create dynamic models for improved prediction of theft incidents.
"We learned that users behaved very differently in metropolitan areas and in rural areas," says Jianing Sandra Guo, an Android security and privacy product manager at Google.
"At a very high level, it starts with motion sensors," she says. But, an approach solely focused on sudden movements could lead to so many false triggers.
"We reenact those scenarios. Then we gather the trace of the device," says Guo. "We use AI to compile those traces into a model to try to predict the next time when a snatch happens."
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