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| Google launches an app that locks phones if their payments are late |
Earlier this year, Google released a new app called Device Lock Controller on the Play Store.
The new app comes from the US tech giant and aims to enable loan providers to reduce the functionality of financed phones without payment.
Google launched the Device Lock Controller app on June 15 and received its latest update in October last year.
According to the app description in the App Store, "Device Lock Controller" enables the loan provider to manage the device. If you don't pay, the provider can restrict remote access to the device. If your device is restricted, basic functions remain available, such as: B. Emergency calls and access to settings.
As flagship smartphones have become more expensive in recent years, many phone manufacturers and telecom companies have introduced payment programs that allow consumers to pay a portion of the price per month for 24 months or more.
However, if users are sometimes unable to pay for a few months, companies like the Indian subsidiary of Samsung will limit the functionality of the device based on the delay in payment.
The new Google app appears to make it easier for banks or other credit providers to implement the latest debt collection method. However, it is not clear if the app will be preinstalled or whether the retailer will require customers to manually install and configure the app as part of their payment plan.
The Application screen explains how the Provider could also “download and install the creditor application” and “disable the debugging and user management features” that should have been used to bypass these programs.
At the same time, users can make emergency calls while still receiving "incoming and outgoing". They can also access the full Settings app at any time, as well as backup and restore data.