What you need to know
- In the latest Android 14 Developer Preview 2, we discovered an “auto-confirm PIN” feature.
- This feature requires a 6-digit PIN and will automatically unlock your phone once the correct information is entered.
- Google warns that this automatic confirmation feature is less secure than manually pressing Enter, and instead makes this option look like a convenience option.
Google seems to be working on new features that are more useful than security.
Digging into the latest Android 14 Developer Preview 2, we uncovered something like the “auto-confirm PIN” feature detailed by the XDA developers. Essentially, just entering the PIN unlocks the phone, eliminating the need to manually press “Enter.”
This option should be enabled, but there is one such security risk. Google includes a warning about this work-in-progress feature: “Tapping Enter to confirm a PIN is more secure than using automatic confirmation.”
A small way Google is trying to make this feature a more secure environment is by increasing the numeric limit for phone PINs. Currently, only 4 numbers are required, but this autoconfirmation feature requires 6 for “enhanced security.”
In developer preview, this auto-confirmation feature is available on devices Settings > Security & Privacy > Device Lock > Screen Lock Tap the gear icon for additional options.
It’s also unclear if this feature will make a stable Android 14 release, as XDA points out that this flag should be turned on as it’s turned off by default.
This security feature is more about convenience than making your phone more secure, but Android 14 Developer Preview 2 is all about privacy. to make app login more secure and seamless without a password.
The latest DP version also tightens the security of the photos you store on your phone, adding a way to determine which media apps can view, so your entire library is never exposed.
On a light note, Pixels could receive another exclusive feature as an emoji wallpaper creator through the ‘Emoji Lab’, which was also spotted in the latest development preview.
Google’s Pixel 7 Pro is packed with meaningful software upgrades and a powerful camera. With a colorful 6.7-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display, the Pixel 7 Pro offers one of the best smartphone experiences. Add to that Pixel’s exclusivity and all of Google’s AI usefulness, and you’re sitting on the cusp of great tech.
