Google is working on new ways to make stolen Android smartphones less appealing to thieves by enhancing the Factory Reset Protection (FRP) feature. According to Android Authority, this update aims to complicate access to devices that have been reset to factory settings without the owner's consent.

Currently, FRP activates after a reset through the Android recovery menu or using the "Find My Device" service, requiring ownership verification through logging into the associated Google account or entering a PIN, password, or pattern from the previous lock screen. If this step is not completed, the device becomes unusable.

However, criminals have learned to bypass these security measures. At the event The Android Show: I/O Edition, Google announced that the new FRP update will be able to detect such attempts and automatically perform a factory reset until the owner confirms their rights to the device.

These enhancements are expected to be available later this year, likely as part of one of the quarterly updates for Android 16. This innovation could significantly reduce smartphone thefts, as stolen devices will become nearly impossible to resell.