United Kingdom, Feb. 2 -- Google has begun rolling out Theft Detection Lock globally as part of Android 16.

First previewed at Google I/O 2024 and trialled in high-risk markets such as Brazil, the new tools are designed to ensure that a stolen phone doesn't automatically become a gateway to identity theft.

Rather than relying on a single line of defence, Android's latest update introduces protections that activate before, during and after a device is taken.

At the centre of the rollout is Theft Detection Lock, which uses on-device machine learning to identify movements consistent with a snatch-and-run theft.

By analysing sensor data such as sudden acceleration, location changes and connectivity signals, the system can automatically lo...