Android 15 could soon match a key iPhone security feature to protect your phone from thieves

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review front handheld

The Pixel 9 Pro XL will be one of the first in line for Android 15 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

We're still waiting for Android 15 to roll out to users – that should be happening from next month – but a new security feature has been spotted in the beta version of the software, which will make it more difficult for unwelcome visitors to get into your phone.

Some digging into the latest Android 15 beta code by Android Authority revealed something called "Identity Check". Based on the instructions around it, it looks as though this will default to biometric checks in certain situations.

So, for example, if someone should look over your shoulder in a coffee shop and see you type in your PIN, they won't then be able to use that PIN to access the device – they'll need to use face or fingerprint recognition instead.

Based on another hidden code discovery made by well-known tipster @AssembleDebug, it looks as though this mandatory biometrics check might be triggered whenever you're outside locations you've marked as "trusted" – such as your home or office.

Thanks, Apple

Trusted places for Mandatory biometric What could this be ? pic.twitter.com/fcj13x1BEtSeptember 13, 2024

This fits in quite nicely with the Android Theft Detection feature that has already started rolling out to devices, and isn't exclusive to Android 15: it automatically locks your handset whenever it detects movement that may mean it's been pinched.

The Identity Check safeguard also matches something iPhones already have, in the form of Apple Stolen Device Protection, introduced in iOS 17.3. It means certain key security actions require Face ID or Touch ID to work, not just your iPhone passcode.

Android 15 is already complete and ready to go, but engineers at Google, Samsung, and other Android phone makers are putting the finishing touches to the software and tailoring it for their own handsets with extra tools and functionality.

The latest Pixel phones – including the Google Pixel 9 – should be the first in line for Android 15 when it does arrive. As well as new security features, it's also going to feature a host of additional customization options.

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.