Google Nougat Will Come Bundled With Always-On VPN

By Paul Liu
Friday, June 23rd, 2017

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Google has decided to ramp up the security of its mobile ecosystem with the launch of Android 7.0 (also known as Android Nougat). The new Operating System boasts of a huge number of security-centric features that will not only keep your precious data secure but also keep security threats and hackers away. While some of the new security features like Direct Boot (file level encryption) and seamless OS updates are designed to improve the usability of mobile devices, others like Always-On VPN, Work Security Challenge and Work Mode are geared towards businesses and corporate users.

Why Using A VPN Is A Must In The Smartphone Era?

These days, most people are connected to the internet 24×7 and are sharing more and more personal data via their mobile devices. While the increased connectivity has made it easier to get notifications and message instantly, it has also made our private data (including photos, location, email accounts, bank account details and PINs/passwords) more vulnerable. Hackers and criminals are increasingly targeting mobile users and are stealing their money or personal data for their own nefarious gains.

Although Android is the most popular mobile OS in the world, it is not the most secure one. As per recent estimates, there are millions of viruses and malicious apps created just to target Android devices. What’s worse, the Android ecosystem is not as tightly controlled as Apple’s iOS so it is very easy for criminals to distribute malicious apps. Compounding the problem is the fact that most mobile users are not really bothered about securing their devices from unauthorized access or malware attacks. This has led to a situation where hackers are at an advantage and they are free to steal private data from hapless mobile users.

If you are concerned about protecting the data residing on your mobile device then using a VPN is your best bet. Although VPNs were created for corporate environments, they are increasingly being used by online users to protect their data and privacy. And since VPNs can be used to secure unprotected Wi-Fi sessions, they are tailor-made for the mobile era. Also, since a lot of people are doing their official work through mobile devices, using a VPN is almost mandatory for corporate users.

How To Use Always-On VPN Feature In Android Nougat?

Before you can use the feature, you need to set up a VPN service on your Smartphone or tablet. Follow these steps to configure a VPN service on your Android device:

1) Tap on Settings and then on “More” option available within Wireless & Networks
2) Next, tap on VPN and add a new connection by tapping on the “+” sign
3) Enter your VPN details (Name of connection, Username, Password) and finally tap on Save option.

Now, here are the steps to use the Always-On VPN feature:

1) Tap on Settings and then on More option available in Wireless & Networks
2) Next, tap on the three dots at the top and then choose Always-on VPN
3) Choose your preferred VPN from the list (you can setup multiple VPNs on your mobile device) and then tap on OK.

Once you switch on the above option, your data and privacy would remain protected at all times. This setting even ensures that your apps do not function in case the VPN service is down or not available for some reason.

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June 23, 2017

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