Latest Android Update Puts Emphasis on Security If your Android phone gets stolen, a new feature makes sure it stays locked until it gets back in your hands.

By Nina Zipkin

entrepreneur daily

Amid some major Apple announcements this week, Google unveiled its latest Lollipop update, Android 5.1. The rollout comes with a new multiple SIM Card function, improved HD voice calling and bolstered security features, namely built-in Device Protection.

If you misplace your phone or it gets stolen, Device Protection ensures that even if the phone gets reset to its factory settings, it will stay locked until the user logs in with his or her specific Google account.

Related: Apple Overtakes Samsung as the World's No. 1 Smartphone Seller

According to a post on the Android site from Dave Burke, vice president of the Android Platform, Device Protection will be available on most devices shipped with Android 5.1, as well as Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.

Additionally, Android 5.1 users can get onto wireless networks faster and control any paired Bluetooth devices directly from Quick Settings. As for the multiple SIM card feature, that will allow users to swap SIM cards in and out of one device, for example, if family members wanted to use the same phone.

Related: 5 Billion Android Apps Open to Hacking

Last month, a Reuters study found that the use of smartphone "kill switches" has been making a dent in device theft over the last year, with incidences of stolen smartphones decreasing by 25 percent in New York and 40 percent in San Francisco. The Device Protection feature from Android promises to make this latest round of Android phones more appealing from a safety perspective.

Related: FTC Fines Two Health Apps That 'Lack Adequate Evidence to Support Their Claims'

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

This Gen Zer's Stylish Side Hustle Earns About $20,000 a Month and Paid Off His Parents' $200,000 Debt: 'I Enjoy the Hands-Off Nature'

Ray Cao went from working as a barista for $8 an hour to being a successful seller on online marketplace StockX.

Starting a Business

I Was a 25-Year-Old Nurse When I Started a Side Hustle to Combat Anxiety. It Made $1 Million in 7 Months — Then Sold for a Life-Changing Amount.

Sarah Michelle Boes knew there had to be a better way to prepare for her stress-inducing nurse practitioner's exam — so she created it.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.