Google makes disk encryption mandatory for some new Android 6.0 devices

Google has announced that devices that want to run Android 6.0 must meet. One of the key features is that manufacturers must enable full disk encryption by default on some new devices running the OS.

According to Google’s Compatibility Definition document, which AndroidPolice reports, these are devices that support full disk encryption and that can perform AES encryption at 50MiB/s or higher. In that case, manufacturers must enable encryption by default on new devices.

With previous smartphones and tablets that are upgraded to Marshmallow, and where the encryption was not activated, manufacturers do not have to implement the encryption. Especially the cheaper socs do not yet offer hardware acceleration for encryption and decryption.

With the previous Android version, Lollipop, Google already set a similar condition for disk encryption, but eventually the company changed the requirement into a “strong recommendation” to manufacturers. Its own Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 did come with full encryption, but few other manufacturers followed the advice.

Apple’s mobile devices have full disk encryption as of iOS 8. In principle, if a user does not unlock his device, no party can access the data on the smartphones and tablets. Apple and Google have stated several times that they do not build backdoors into their software. Especially American intelligence services denounce the presence of the encryption; this would seriously hamper their investigative work.

The Compatibility Definition document also contains the terms and conditions for using Android 6.0 in conjunction with a fingerprint sensor. The use of such a sensor is not mandatory, but Google does recommend it. The list of conditions should ensure that the operation runs smoothly, just like with the fingerprint sensor of the new Nexus phones. Finally, there is an obligation to manufacturers to use the new Doze mode, AndroidPolice writes. In this sleep mode, apps remain inactive and the smartphone only wakes up sporadically for syncing purposes, to allow for longer standby battery life.