The bank may block functions of its app if your mobile phone is not updated. Google’s plan to make Android more secure

Bank-related scams are increasingly common and the telephone is the main entry vector. One of the possible solutions would be to restrict the use of banking apps to the most up-to-date phones with the latest security measures installed. This is just what Google has proposed to developers.

Android has an API called Play Integrity, responsible for detecting suspicious activities, responding to possible fraud or bot abuse, and functions related to device security. Now, this API will be even more capable.

According to Google, applications that use this API are 80% more secure than the rest. The key here is that it is necessary to have at least Android 13 to enjoy all the features and integrations it offers.

Google’s proposal is to offer a device recognition verdict. In other words, this API will allow developers Check if your phone has recent security updates. This function is especially designed for banking, financial, business or government apps.

The developer will be able to adjust the behavior of the app depending on the Android version and security patch it has. In case the device is quite outdated, The door opens to block access to certain functions for security reasons.

This integration will go live in May 2025, so developers who use this API will automatically have information about the security status of our phone.

Of course, it will continue to fall on their roof whether they restrict access to functions or not, something especially unlikely in the case of bankswhere the main interest is that a large number of users can run the apps. On paper, the idea is great but, more than likely, few developers are willing to restrict their apps.

Fragmentation on Android continues to be terrible, something that is not helped by the fact that Google has gone ahead with the Android 16 Developer Preview. Releasing version 16 when practically no users still have Android 15 may not have been the best idea.

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