TL;DR
- Google appears to be working on Phone Unlock for Googlebooks, letting a nearby unlocked Android phone unlock the laptop.
- New setup screens show the feature could work automatically when you open the lid, move the mouse, or press a key, with a phone notification after each unlock.
- We spotted the feature in Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1, but it remains unannounced.
One of the most annoying things about admiring Apple’s ecosystem from Android land is watching tiny conveniences pile up into something genuinely hard to ignore. Unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch is a perfect example. It’s not flashy, but once you have it, typing a password starts to feel strangely prehistoric. Now, code within Android 17 QPR3 Beta 1 suggests Google may be preparing its own version of that trick for Googlebooks, using your Android phone as the key.
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