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A wierd app has surfaced on the Google Play Store, an app from Google referred to as “Device Lock Controller”. The app was quietly launched again in June and has round 10 downloads as of this reporting. Basically, the app is designed to let collectors, banks, carriers (whoever you owe cash to) restrict perform on the machine if you fall behind on payments.
The app’s perform is described on the Play Store as follows:
Device Lock Controller allows machine administration for credit score providers. Your supplier can remotely limit entry to your machine if you don’t many payments. If your machine is restricted, primary performance, corresponding to emergency calling and entry to settings, will nonetheless be obtainable.
As per a report from XDA-Developers, who first observed the app, writes that the DeviceAdminService API is getting used within the app to remotely management functions of the machine. “This is the same API that enterprises use to control what employees can do with their work phones.” A credit score could lock your out of utilizing your phone if you’re behind on payments.
There’s an moral dilemma with apps like this. While lenders and providers wish to make it possible for payments will likely be made on financed units, it poses a difficulty for people who use a smartphone as their main machine. Staying related is essential, particularly in 2020, so I’m going to present them the advantage of the doubt and counsel one of many causes for an app like this could be to stop folks from scamming consumers in non-public gross sales of a phone that hasn’t been paid off which might outcome within the unsuspecting purchaser to search out out when it’s too late.
We’ve at all times heard of slicing cell service when lacking payments, however the identical apply was by no means related to a tool that was being paid off, no less than not from the phone finish. Sometimes units from carriers with excellent balances could be blacklisted from engaged on the community till the steadiness of the phone is paid off – the identical factor can occur when a buyer decides to go away the provider. This occurs from the backend. If you, nonetheless, handle to export the phone, it may possibly nonetheless be used on another community.
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