Samsung announces a new One UI feature. (Source: Samsung)
Are you holding off on getting your Android smartphone fixed for fear of the personal data on it going to the repair shop with it? Samsung has come up with a new way to allay such fears with its new Repair Mode, a new option for Galaxy-series smartphones that locks all potentially sensitive information behind an unlocking method.
There are a number of ways to wipe all personal data from an Android smartphone; then again, there are some conditions under which the user may not be able to enact them or make sure that they work, a broken and unresponsive screen being one of them. For customers with this kind of concern, Samsung is making an effort, starting with its new Repair Mode.
The new option is located under Settings > Battery and Device Care within One UI, and blocks access to all personally-added information on the phone in question, images, files, and app settings included. Samsung claims that only the user can reverse it by exiting the mode again, rebooting the device and unlocking it using the fingerprint or lockscreen pattern as appropriate.
Therefore, an owner may feel more secure in sending a smartphone off for repair if necessary. Then again, Samsung has only rolled the new Mode out to Galaxy S21-series devices in the South Korean market. Therefore, it might need positive reception (and good feedback on how well it works) for it to hit more units from additional generations in further locations.
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Deirdre O’Donnell – Senior Tech Writer – 5362 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018
I became a professional writer and editor shortly after graduation. My degrees are in biomedical sciences; however, they led to some experience in the biotech area, which convinced me of its potential to revolutionize our health, environment and lives in general. This developed into an all-consuming interest in more aspects of tech over time: I can never write enough on the latest electronics, gadgets and innovations. My other interests include imaging, astronomy, and streaming all the things. Oh, and coffee.