SYDNEY: Recently Google is working on a new Android feature called “on-body detection”, a motion-sensitive feature which will keep your smartphone unlocked as long as it is either in your hand or in your pocket. Using the Smartphone’s accelerometer, it will detect whether a user is holding the phone or if it’s in a pocket and will accordingly lock it.
The central idea behind this feature is that, it will immediately lock the device if you leave your phone somewhere making it at risk of falling into the hands of an unknown individual.
A report by Android Police states that, once a user unlocks the phone, it will stay unlocked while they are holding it or while kept in a pocket. Once the phone is put away, it will lock again and the user needs to manually enter the password to unlock it.
The report also pointed out a catch in this feature and said that, if a user hands over their phone to someone else when unlocked, it will not lock again as the feature isn’t equipped to recognise the owner’s hands or whether it’s in the owner’s pocket.
This feature was first spotted on a Nexus 4 running Android 5.0.1 Lollipop. Although, this feature is not related specifically to the latest Android 5.1, it will only be operational on Android 5.0 or above.
The on-body detection feature can be turned on from the Smart Lock section of Security settings. However, the feature requires the user to activate the latest Google Play Services version 7.0.97.
If you’re using an older version, the old name “Trusted behaviour (experimental)” will appear and will switch to the new name as soon as Google Play Services is updated.
