If you have ever had your phone stolen you know how much of a worry it can be. Not only are you facing having to replace the device, and possibly having lost photos and messages that weren’t backed up, but it is a security concern given we use our smartphones for things like banking and mobile payments.
Phone thieves often target people who are using their phones because they are unlocked. This means they can much easier get into your banking apps and other apps with sensitive personal data, sometimes resulting in theft and fraud that can leave you out of pocket and on the phone to the bank – and the authorities.
If you have a Google Pixel phone you could be in luck, it looks as though Google is working on a new Android feature that aims to make it harder for thieves to get away with your phone in any sort of usable state. The catch is, you will have to own a Pixel Watch for it to work.
According to a report in Android Authority, Google is working on a ‘lock on disconnect’ option that will lock your phone if it is unlocked but loses Bluetooth connection with your paired Pixel Watch smartphone. You don’t need to type in your PIN or use the fingerprint unlock in this scenario.
Currently, the Watch Unlock feature ensures your phone stays unlocked when it can tell your smartwatch is nearby, but this could work the opposite way around. Say your phone is snatched from your hand in the street, once it’s out of Bluetooth range of the watch on your wrist, it could conceivably lock, leaving the thief unable to access your apps.
If accurate, this could be a great addition that you’ll be able to appreciate after a nasty encounter with a thief. Your phone may be gone, but this auto-lock functionality would hopefully provide some peace of mind that you won’t see the money drain from your bank accounts or other personal information stolen, as your phone will be inaccessible.
The feature could be called ‘Lock phone when left behind’ according to the report after a Telegram user was able to find a mention of it in their Pixel phone’s settings menu.
“Phone will lock when it disconnects from your watch, like when it’s far away”, the setting says.
Perhaps this will be an update as part of Android 16, which is currently in beta and will likely be coming to most Pixel phones later this year. It remains to be seen if Google restricts which models of Pixel phone and Pixel Watch the update will work with.