Google’s Device Lock Controller is a shady hidden app
Recognition: David Imel / Android Authority
- There’s a relatively new Google app on the Play Store called Device Lock Controller.
- The app is designed to help creditors block certain phone features for borrowers who have defaulted.
- For some reason, this app is not showing up on the Google LLC page with other Google apps.
If you want to find all of the Android apps made by Google, just visit the Google LLC page on the Play Store. However, for unknown reasons, you can’t find any of the latest apps on this list (h / t) XDA developer).
The new app is called Device Lock Controller. Here is the official description from the Play Store page:
Device Lock Controller enables device management for loan providers. Your provider can remotely restrict access to your device if you aren’t making payments. When your device is restricted, basic functions such as emergency calls and access to settings are still available.
In short, the app allows lenders to limit the functionality of Android devices owned by borrowers. In theory, you could buy a smartphone through a lender and that lender could pre-install this app. If you are in default with your loan, the lender may shut down certain functions of your phone until you correct the situation.
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This app is a very strange new possibility for Google. It’s also strange that this app is hidden in the Play Store and separate from the rest of the Google LLC products. We reached out to Google for clarification but didn’t get an immediate response.
Device Lock Controller: Seems dodgy to us
An app like this seems pretty reasonable on paper. If you borrow money to buy a phone and you fail to meet your lender repayment agreement, it should have an impact. In theory, this app, which shuts down some of your phone’s core functions, would work fine after the lender tried their best to get you to pay.
However, it seems strange to us that Google created this app. This is not the type of service that Google typically offers. Most of the company’s apps are focused on productivity and improving users’ lives, not more restrictive. Plus, there’s no evidence that Google is monitoring how lenders use this app. For example, what if the lender doesn’t do their due diligence before turning off the phone features? Are there any precautions to protect consumers’ interests?
The combination of the design of this app as well as the lack of it on the main page of Google LLC make us a little uneasy. Hopefully Google will respond to our request and give us clarity about the Device Lock Controller app.
