Android System SafetyCore: This Silent Android Feature Scans Photos for Sensitive Content

Android System SafetyCore: This Silent Android Feature Scans Photos for Sensitive Content

In late 2024, Google quietly introduced a new feature into Android called Android System SafetyCore. Without fanfare or public explanation, it appeared on millions of devices running Android 9 and above. The feature’s primary goal, according to Google, is to provide a privacy-preserving, on-device system that helps protect users from explicit or malicious content. However, the way it was rolled out — silently, through system updates — has raised eyebrows and concerns among privacy-conscious Android users. The Android System SafetyCore is designed to detect and blur sensitive images such as nudity, spam, or harmful material, ensuring that users are not … Read more

Android 16 Adds Fingerprint Unlock for Screen-Off Mode

Android 16 Adds Fingerprint Unlock for Screen-Off Mode

The latest update to Android 16 brings an exciting new feature for Pixel 9 series users: fingerprint unlock even when the screen is off. Found in the Android 16 Developer Preview 2, this new functionality enhances the convenience of unlocking your phone by eliminating the need to wake up the screen first. What’s Changing with Android 16? Fingerprint readers embedded in display screens, like those on recent Pixel phones, typically require the screen to be awake or in an Always-On Display (AOD) state to work. However, the new “Screen-off Fingerprint Unlock” setting allows users to unlock their phones even when … Read more