TL;DR
- Strings in the latest Android 15 beta suggest the OS can automatically delete biometrics that aren’t working well.
- Android will delete your face or fingerprint unlock when they aren’t working well and then prompt you to set them up again.
- We don’t know how the OS determines when a biometric isn’t working well or if this feature is even live yet in the latest Android 15 beta, though.
Yeah, lol. Who has the time to type a passcode or pattern unlock when a single click or glance can unlock your phone within a second.
The legal precedents that have been set in this area basically boil down to this: if the police could unlock your phone while you were unconscious (e.g. by placing your finger on it or pointing it at your face) then they are allowed to do so.
You cannot be legally compelled to reveal your password or unlock a device with your password. Obviously you could be forced anyway, but evidence collected this way would be inadmissable in court.
Police and airport staff almost everywhere are able to force you to unlock your phone if it uses biometrics but not patterns/passwords
If you’re concerned that might be about to happen you could just hold the power button until it shuts down or reboots, Android always asks for the password at boot AFAIK
Should it arrive to that they can still seize your devices and also force you to unlock your devices biometrics or patterns/passwords regardless. I wouldn’t trust law enforcements in this regard.
PSA: Stock Android phones, since… maybe Android 12.x or so(?), have a Lockdown mode in the power button shortcut menu that disables bio unlocks and forces pin or password.
I just stay away from countries where they have the authority to do that.
I never had contact with police or airport staff where they wanted me to unlock my phone. And I doubt that this will happen anytime soon if ever.
It’s not a problem, until it is a problem.
“It hasn’t happened yet” is not a valid basis for making decisions.
It probably heavily depends on where you are from. I guess you are from the US?
What makes you think so?
Because generally the TSA in Yankland are overly aggressive, but to be fair it can happen anywhere and here in the UK if they snag you into the backroom and want to search your phone you’re screwed either way since they, can.
I don’t get why it can’t be more specific. like only unlock if im smiling or making this specific face or such.