Last Updated on October 25, 2023
Soon, all Android smartphones will receive the Repair Mode. Google, the company responsible for making Android OS, plans to grant access to this smartphone feature to all Android-based devices. Repair Mode is in the plan for Pixel phones and probably for all Android handsets. This feature helps users protect their personal user data before they send their devices up for repair.
What is Android Repair Mode?
The Repair Mode is a security feature that basically locks users’ personal data before a device reaches a service center. It’s essentially a data protection mechanism. The feature is in the plan for Pixel devices, however, the latest development has it that Google will deliver this across all Android handsets.
How does the Repair Mode work on Android?
Basically, what that means is, that after the Repair Mode is activated, a new profile is created and all user data is locked. After this, users can stay assured that technicians can’t gain access to their data when devices reach the service center for maintenance. You can see this feature as the Maintenance Mode on Samsung smartphones.
Sharing the Repair Mode code on X account (formerly Twitter), Mishaal Rahman said that the feature will work natively. He also talks about how this feature will work on Android:
“Android’s repair mode uses the Dynamic System Updates (DSU) mechanism, but instead of booting a Generic System Image (GSI), Android uses the original system image combined with a new user data image, effectively simulating a factory reset,” Rahman said on X.
As stated above, Samsung has the Maintenance Mode equivalent of the Repair Mode however, they slightly differ.
Differs slightly from Samsung’s Maintenance Mode
Samsung’s Maintenance Mode creates a new user profile to protect user data. Google’s Repair Mode, on the other hand, simulates a factory reset using the “Dynamic System Updates” mechanism. The DSU available since Android 10, makes booting (starting the phone) possible without replacing the existing installation.
And since Samsung and Android smartphone OEMs use their own Repair Mode equivalent, Rahman says that brands can decide between their own and Google’s repair mode. That is because different Android smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, vivo, OPPO, etc. build and use their own custom Android skin on top of Google’s AOSP (vanilla Android experience). Therefore, Google is first planning the Repair Mode feature for Pixel phones which almost uses the stock Android ROM and will allow other manufacturers to also use the feature on their custom skins. Learn more: Stock ROM vs Custom ROM
Also read: Google Launches Nearby Share App for Windows to Share Files With Android
Rolling out soon!
Pixel smartphones might get the Repair Mode feature in the December feature drop. If everything goes to plan, the feature will roll out across the Android realm. For more from tech, telecom, and the latest gadget reviews, keep reading Nepalitelecom.com.
