Android Device Manager, with an ability to locate, trigger an alarm or wipe data on an Android smartphone now includes support for remote locking to prevent confidential data from going into the wrong hands.
Android lacked an official app that could find a lost smartphone for years unlike Apple's "Find My iPhone" app. But Google finally filled the void by launching its very own phone finding app called "Android Device Manager," August 2, 2013. The mobile finder was only able to locate phones, trigger alarm or wipe data from a smartphone for over a month, but the web giant has now included an option to lock a device if stolen.
Android smartphones can be locked remotely with a new PIN code via Android Device Manager, which overrides previous security locks on the stolen device. This new addition will be beneficiary in many ways if a phone is stolen.
Firstly, the data on the phone remains safe until you find your lost phone. Secondly, if a thief knows his way around a smartphone then he can put off the mobile data without which user can not trace his/her smartphone on Google Maps. So locking the phone at the earliest overwrites the older security system and disallows thugs from fiddling with the phone, or change any security settings.
Once the device is locked, a user can unlock it by entering the new PIN after finding the lost phone, Android Police explains. But in a worst case scenario, users can always choose to wipe all data from the device, which is a drastic measure for anyone unless the user is sure of not recovering the device.
The new feature does not require any changes on the phone except the usual Android Device Manager settings. Ensure the Device Manager is enabled in the Security option in the Settings Menu.
The Device Manager supports all devices running Android 2.2 or higher, which is more than 98 percent of all Android devices.
