Like I’m paranoid everytime I use my phone in public and I want to be prepared.
if the “Theft protection” setting is enabled, Android will lock if it detects such movement. If set up for it, the phone can be locked and erased remotely. Not sure which versions.
Theft Detection Lock uses AI, your device’s motion sensors, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth to detect if someone unexpectedly takes your device and runs away. If Theft Detection Lock detects your device is taken from you, it automatically locks your device’s screen to protect its content. For example, if someone grabs the phone out of your hand and they run, bike, or drive away, the Theft Detection Lock may activate.
https://support.google.com/android/answer/15146908
I presume it waits for an abrupt spike in the accelerometer followed by going out of range of nearby Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth connections. I am curious how well it works, and how often false positives occur.
I am also disappointed that it seems GrapheneOS does not offer a similar feature.
I’ve had a false positive walking around the other day. False positive is no big deal of course, but it’s interesting that I’m seeing a post about it now
GrapheneOS
When I search for it on stock android on my P7, it says it’s in Google Play Services. So my guess is it isn’t part of AOSP, therefore GrapheneOS wouldn’t have it, unless they make their own implementation
This also depends on the phone and which version of the operating system it runs. I think both iOS and Android have snatch detection in their latest versions, i.e. the phone can realize it’s been ripped from the hands and subsequently traveled fast away from the point of snatching. Phones are then supposed to lock so the thief doesn’t gain access.
A good security option is not to have financial apps and credit card numbers in the clear on your phone, or to have this stuff hidden behind a fingerprint scan or other ID, if the phone is unlocked or not.
If you don’t want to buy 13 guns to shoot a mugger with, as has been suggested in this thread, consider something as silly as a sturdy lanyard to anchor your phone to your person. Now you’re only interesting to the criminals who will rob you at gun/knife point. The snatchers tend to look for easy marks. In the US, a vital defense against having your phone stolen is having an Android phone to begin with.
a vital defense against having your phone stolen is having an Android phone to begin with
Sorry, but this is just a laughable claim to make. Phone thieves aren’t going to hold back and try to figure out if the small slab in your hand is an iPhone 14 or a Pixel 9, they’re just going to take it and figure out what they’ve taken after the fact.
If anything, if they were paying attention to what targets were carrying, they’d be more likely to avoid iPhones because they can’t easily strip them for parts any more.
