Android O Security Feature: Services & Apps Now Possible Via SMS

Android users get to be more excited with each version of Android getting released. Everyone looks for the more obvious front-facing changes that would completely change the way that the OS looks or feels. However, for every new big feature, there are smaller ones that add up to a better experience. For the upcoming Android O, this comes in an improved SMS authentication process by third party apps.

What is this SMS Authentication Process Like?

Android Authority says that, right now, if you have to use SMS to verify your identity, you would either have to type in a code yourself or have an app read your messages for you. This is so it can find it by itself and enter it. With the upcoming Android O, this method will be simplified even further with a new API that will allow apps to detect that an SMS verification code would be available in a while.

When this happens, the OS will automatically check to see if any of your messages have a specific 11-character code. When the code pops up, it will automatically set to the app that needs it. What is even better is that it will never show up in your SMS messages.

Although this is a small change, this new feature will eliminate the need for users to wait for an SMS authentication message to appear. No need to type it manually within a span of time. There are a lot of other Android O features that were announced together at the 2017 Google I/O developer conference recently.

How Does This Android O Feature Work?

The process will commence when an app while creating a PengingIntent with the type creatAppSpecificSmsToken, which alerts the system of an incoming message, notes Android Police. The first message that will have an authentication code will be used and each app can only have on request at a time. Once such is fulfilled, any other code containing messages that will arrive subsequently will arrive in the messaging app as usual.

While it removes all those annoying codes from your inbox, this Android O feature also makes it more secure as it removes the app's access to your message history. This also means good news for developers since it means that there is one less app which requires permission when being set up.