Among other aspects, one thing Google is working on is making Android smartphones easier to track and difficult for thieves to escape. The company is taking things a step further by introducing new changes to Factory Reset Protection on Android 15, which is more geared towards ruining the efforts of thieves.
For those who don't know, let us tell you that in Android Factory Reset Bypasswhich gets activated as soon as you add a new one Google account Reset the phone while setting it up. This ensures that even if thieves try to factory reset the device, Android setup will not be successful unless you do so. Sign in with your previous Google account,
However, it's currently very easy to bypass this method by skipping the setup wizard. Google now seems to have fixed this on Android 15, rendering the bypass method useless.
Android 15 factory reset security improvements
Google has improved FRP android 15 Where thieves will not be able to bypass the setup process and operate the device normally Without signing in with the original Google account which was present before the factory reset. A locked device is of no use, and hence thieves will no longer try to steal the device.
In addition, thieves will no longer be able to do the following:
- Enabling bootloader unlocking will not disable FRP.
- Can't add a new Google account
- Can't set lock screen PIN/password
- Can't install new apps
Also, to disable FRP one would need to Pre-Shared Key To be present during every boot. Android stores this key inside the “userdata” partition and “persistent data” block. It will present this key during every boot. But when the data partition is wiped, the user will have to verify the key by signing in to the Google account that was present before the factory reset.
With the rising incidence of phone thefts across the world, this change will ensure that the shady world of buying and selling stolen phones will be reduced drastically. However, this change is Android 15-specific, so This feature will be available only in phones with Android 15 A type of protection.
Now, all we need is a feature where the device asks for the PIN if thieves try to power off the phone. We are sure not every bad guy knows how to power off, and this will increase the chances of owners getting their devices back by tracking them down through the new one. Find My Device Experience,
What are your thoughts on the new Factory Reset Protection improvements?
