First spotted by 9to5Google, Android 17 QPR2 Beta 3 adds a native App Lock feature allowing you to lock any app you want behind your biometrics or phone PIN.
Cool. Iirc this was rumored or listed as a feature a little earlier but I’m glad to see it confirmed.
I wonder what the security landscape will look like. I assume different than the AFU phone because of unlocked attack surface.
For example USB port might be accessible while it won’t be while locked, on GrapheneOS.
How will it compare to current app locks that apps implement? I don’t know anything about how they’re implemented currently like CakeWallet’s technique. Ik Molly offers a secure one at maybe the cost of notifications.
Not sure but it’s definitely not putting the data at rest or anything. It’s basically just a barrier if someone has your phone while it’s unlocked.
This is cool. If I will be able to lock the browser app behind a pin that my gf has, I have officially gotten the perfect privacy and security “dumbphone” - this will complete my setup!
Android copying Apple once again! /hj
@Roast will the PIN be able to be different from your regular lock screen PIN though?
If not, then the issue is easy solvable. I don’t use a fingerprint on my phone, so my gf will have be the only one with a fingerprint to unlock the app and the main user profile.
It will fallback to pin probably.
Don’t do that. Don’t take away my hope. (insert pucture of sad Hawk Eye here)
If you use GrapheneOS, this is the thread to follow for dumbphone salvation:
https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/13587-mdm-on-grapheneos
It’s for adding MDM which lets you lock down the device while retaining privacy and security.
I do and thanks for the link! But what a rollercoaster of emotions I am experiencing currently.
Disabling the PIN for such a setup would be enough for me; some Android apps seem to be able to use biometrics without the PIN fallback.