Android 16 will have enhanced software protection mode

The official release of Android 16 is expected soon, and new information about the upcoming features of the system continues to appear on the network. One of the most noticeable new features will be the Advanced Protection mode, designed to significantly improve the security of smartphones.

Activating Advanced Protection will give the following:

• installation of applications from any sources other than Google Play will be blocked;
• unsafe communication protocols, including 2G, will be disabled;
• when trying to change security settings, the system requires mandatory biometric authentication or entering a PIN code.

In addition, in the active protection mode, filtering of incoming calls and messages is strengthened, as well as connection to potentially dangerous Wi-Fi networks is limited. All this is aimed at reducing the risk of phishing, data interception, and remote hacking.

First of all, Advanced Protection will be available to owners of Google Pixel smartphones – starting with the Android 16 QPR1 update. Later, devices from other manufacturers will also receive the function, but the exact timing has not yet been announced.

Earlier, Google officially announced the largest deal in its history, investing $32 billion in Israeli cloud cybersecurity company Wiz.

Wiz is a global leader in cloud data protection and provides its services to technology giants such as Microsoft and Amazon. As a result of the transaction, the company will become part of the Google Cloud division, but will continue to cooperate with other customers.

The deal must now be reviewed by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for antitrust compliance. Google confirmed that Wiz products will remain available on competing cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud.