Google is introducing a new security feature aimed at millions of Android users to enhance the protection of their data. This development aims to prevent unauthorised access to devices and is being deployed not only for smartphones but also for Android tablets. This feature shares similarities with Apple iOS's inactivity reboot function. Essentially, if a phone remains unlocked for three days, it will automatically restart itself. The rollout of this feature coincides with the latest Google Play Service version v25.14 update, which has been in testing for quite some time. If a device remains inactive for 72 hours, it will shut down and then turn back on.
The motivation behind this feature is to safeguard Android users from accidental data theft. There have been numerous instances where hackers have sent covert viruses that stealthily siphon off data from users' phones. With the device powered on, cybercriminals can continuously mine data or track users. With the implementation of this new feature, a user’s device will automatically power down after 72 hours, effectively halting any data mining or tracking by restarting the device.
Furthermore, when a phone is switched off, the biometric features become inactive upon rebooting. This means that users must enter their PIN or password to access the phone again. With this update, devices will be encrypted, and biometric access will be disabled. Consequently, no one can gain entry to the device without entering the correct passcode.
Google refers to this automatic restart feature as the Before First Unlock (BFU) state, ensuring that no one can access the user’s device without the proper password. According to Google's changelog, this feature is currently being rolled out for phones, with plans to release it for tablets soon as well.
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