Google’s latest Android lockdown continues to narrow the gap to iPhone. But more critically, we are now seeing a significant difference between what comes to its own Pixel devices — and when it comes — versus the rest of the Android ecosystem. The Pixel offering is changing its spots, and that is in turn is changing Android. Google’s latest lockdown update is something even iPhones do not yet have.
This latest Pixel upgrade has come via Android 16 Beta 2. And while users cannot benefit from it yet, it will turn up on their phones before others. That’s what we saw with Android 15 beta and stable releases, and it’s what we’re seeing again now.
It’s also clear that Android 16 will have the same security and privacy focus as Android 15, further narrowing the gap to iPhone. The latest update, per Android Authority, adds a flag that lets apps check whether a user is enrolled in Google’s Advanced Protection Program, which we already know is adding an Android specific mode.
While the new mode makes it possible to change how Android itself works for more security minded users, the latest update means that apps outside Google’s stable can also modify their behaviors for users who have enabled the additional protection layer. This one-click setting is something iPhone does not have but would be a good change.
This might mean a banking app could mandate additional MFA checks, or an email app might enable additional filtering and threat screening, or per Android Authority’s example, “an app like Signal could automatically enable its built-in screen lock and screenshot blocking features for those enrolled in Advanced Protection.”
Absent this change, a user would have to enable additional security on each app, despite Android itself being better locked down. The change links to Android’s new Advanced Protection Mode. As such, the new API cannot be enabled until the new mode is up and running. But it’s on the way and will make a welcome difference.
These are interesting times for Android and its billions of users. While Samsung remains the closest to an iPhone, Pixel is catching up fast. And the advantages from Google’s end-to-end control of hardware and software are starting to bite. With Samsung Galaxy owners still awaiting Android 15 and the latest Android zero-day fix, both of which Pixels received right away, something needs to change.
I’m often asked whether users should enroll in Google’s Advanced Protection Program or Apple’s equivalent Lockdown Mode. For many users, Google’s additional security is worthwhile and the company “strongly recommends” it for business executives as well as those in more sensitive jobs. It doesn’t really hamper the use of Android, but it mandates sensible security usage and restricts riskier activities like sideloading.
Apple’s Lockdown Mode is different and more extreme and it does hamper iPhone use. As such, the iPhone maker says “most people are never targeted by attacks of this nature,” and so should not enable Lockdown Mode on their devices.
