Google has implemented a new “repair mode”, which will prevent personal data from being accessed by a stranger.
Android 14 may have just arrived on Pixel phones, and will soon be released for phones from other brands such as Samsung and OnePlus, but Google is already thinking about its successor, Android 15, and future updates.
We already know that Google has left several unreleased functions in Android 14, which in theory were going to be available with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro; but they finally had to be eliminated or deactivated because they did not arrive in time for the launch.
In addition to these functions, with future Android updates the launch of a very interesting function is expected, which can save our data from prying eyes.
Repair mode
The new “Repair Mode” has been discovered in the Android code by Mishaal Rahman , who has revealed the details and function that this novelty will have when it is released to all users.
As its name indicates, “Repair Mode” can be activated when we take the mobile phone to be repaired , either to an official center or a repair store. A big problem at these times is to leave the mobile phone in the best possible condition so that the problem it has can be fixed as easily as possible, whether it is changing the screen, the battery, or any other component. Many people simply hand over their unlocked phone, but that is a mistake, because you are giving access to your entire personal life to a stranger. The cell phone accompanies us all day and stores all types of data, from personal photographs to passwords and credit card information. No matter how much we trust the establishment or the company, it is irresponsible to give all that information without any type of control.
“Repair Mode” seeks to fix this. When we activate it, the system will block access to personal data and apps . The mobile phone and its basic functions can continue to be used normally, so that the technician can carry out the appropriate checks and carry out the repair correctly; but everything that does not have to do with the operation of the mobile will be “invisible”. The technician will not be able to access the installed apps either, although he will have access to everything necessary to check that the mobile phone is working correctly.
This mode works in a curious way, taking advantage of Android’s dynamic updates functionality. For a couple of versions now, Android updates do not require an immediate reboot; the new version is installed on a different partition of the storage, and we can continue using the current version. When we reboot, the system switches to the partition with the new version. “Repair Mode” does the same, but creates a partition with the original version of Android , without user modifications such as data and apps.
Google is expected to launch this feature next December . It will not be the only one to offer something similar, since Samsung already implemented a “maintenance mode” last year with the launch of One UI 5.
