Not all forms of data theft require high tech gadgetry. One of the most prevalent forms of malicious data acquisition involves something called shoulder surfing, which refers to situations where people look over the shoulders of phone users to get their PIN. It turns out that Google is trying to clamp down on shoulder surfing because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making Android phones considerably safer.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the upcoming update for Android will include a brand new feature called Enhanced PIN Privacy. After upgrading your phone to Android 14, you will be able to toggle this privacy feature on and make it harder for a shoulder surfer to snoop around than might have been the case otherwise.
The way this works is that the animation that plays whenever you tap a number on your phone screen will no longer come up. This can make it fairly obvious which numbers a user is putting in, but with the new privacy feature, users will be able to enter their pin with relative secrecy.
Such a privacy fix is crucial since it can contribute to users feeling safer while using their phones with all things having been considered and taken into account. It will still be important to keep a look out for shoulder surfers, since they might still be able to see the numbers if they are close enough.
In spite of the fact that this is the case, the lack of a visual cue such as an animation will create a lot of problems for people who are trying to take part in this malicious activity. Android 14 is bringing a lot to the table, but this update may be one of the most underrated additions to the latest version of the mobile operating system that we have seen so far. Of course, there will be numerous other features for Android users to enjoy as well once they upgrade.
H/T: XDA
Read next: Google Cracks Down on Policy Violating Ads, Removing Over 5 Billion in 2022
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the upcoming update for Android will include a brand new feature called Enhanced PIN Privacy. After upgrading your phone to Android 14, you will be able to toggle this privacy feature on and make it harder for a shoulder surfer to snoop around than might have been the case otherwise.
The way this works is that the animation that plays whenever you tap a number on your phone screen will no longer come up. This can make it fairly obvious which numbers a user is putting in, but with the new privacy feature, users will be able to enter their pin with relative secrecy.
Such a privacy fix is crucial since it can contribute to users feeling safer while using their phones with all things having been considered and taken into account. It will still be important to keep a look out for shoulder surfers, since they might still be able to see the numbers if they are close enough.
In spite of the fact that this is the case, the lack of a visual cue such as an animation will create a lot of problems for people who are trying to take part in this malicious activity. Android 14 is bringing a lot to the table, but this update may be one of the most underrated additions to the latest version of the mobile operating system that we have seen so far. Of course, there will be numerous other features for Android users to enjoy as well once they upgrade.
H/T: XDA
Read next: Google Cracks Down on Policy Violating Ads, Removing Over 5 Billion in 2022
