Millions of people each year fall prey to smartphone scams, and that number is on the rise. There’s no simple way to end this, but that doesn’t mean that companies like Google aren’t trying their hardest. According to a new report, Android 16 will block you from changing certain settings during a phone call.
This might seem a bit odd. As far as we know, your phone isn’t intrinsically less secure when you’re on a call. However, this feature is to prevent something that happens more often than you might expect.
Android 16 blocks certain settings when you’re on a phone call
It’s important to know that this was discovered during an APK deep dive. As such, you’ll want to take this news cautiously. Google has hidden the code for this feature within Android. However, there’s no guarantee that the company will launch it.
The software will restrict certain functionalities when you’re on a call. These functions include installing APK files from unknown sources and certain accessibility settings. This will help keep your phone safer.
The thing is that scammers will sometimes contact their victims directly over the phone and instruct them to download their apps. Since their apps are malware, they likely won’t be on the Play Store. So, they have to give people the APK file to sideload the app. Sideloading apps require you to enable the phone to install apps from unknown sources (A.K.A anywhere other than the Google Play Store).
Many smartphone users don’t know how to sideload APK files, so they’ll need instructions. Android 16 will detect if you’re on a call. When it does so, you won’t be able to sideload apps or change the settings that will let you install apps from unknown sources.
Along with that, you won’t be able to change any of your accessibility settings. Malicious apps typically need access to certain accessibility settings to get into your system. So, the scammer will likely need to guide the user on how to change the appropriate settings.
This is a pretty smart move on Google’s part. There are a ton of scammers out there, and every little feature helps.