Android 15 will be released this fall and will bring exciting new features. One of them is an innovative security feature called “adaptive timeout”, which aims to strike the perfect balance between battery life and security.
Adaptive timeout detects when you are not using your device and automatically turns off the screen. This extends the life of your battery while keeping your device locked and protected from unauthorized access.
It is highly recommended that you set a screen lock (such as a password, PIN, or pattern lock) on your Android device. This lock will automatically activate after a period of inactivity. By default, Android turns off the screen after 30 seconds of inactivity and locks the device after an additional 5 seconds. You can change these times under Display and Security settings in the Settings section of your device.
How does it work?
It is unknown how this feature works, but it likely detects usage using your device’s front camera or other presence sensors. For example, if you’re not looking at the screen or haven’t used the device for a while, the screen will automatically turn off.
Could be exclusive to Pixel devices
The adaptive timeout feature will likely be exclusive to Google’s Pixel devices and not part of the open-source version of Android (AOSP). This suggests that Google is taking a similar approach to the “Screen Attention” feature.
Good for battery life and security
Adaptive timeout offers significant benefits in terms of both battery life and security. Keeping the screen on less often contributes to longer battery life, while keeping your device locked prevents unauthorized access.
Questions and future
It’s unclear whether the adaptive timeout feature will be part of the AOSP, whether Google will provide more information about how it works, and whether it will be available on other Android devices.
Adaptive timeout is a useful security feature added to Android 15. It’s a good way to save battery life and keep your device secure, and it is expected to become more common in the future.
Featured image credit: Denny Müller / Unsplash
