We discovered the Shielded Email feature nestled within the Autofill settings menu. However, tapping on it currently redirects us to a blank page on myaccount.google.com, suggesting the feature is still under development.
This functionality could prove invaluable for users looking to safeguard their primary email addresses and avoid spam. With that in mind, we’re eager to see this feature roll out sooner rather than later.
Nowadays, nearly every app, service, or website demands an account to access its features. How often have you hesitated when prompted to enter your email address?
While Gmail does an impressive job filtering spam, sharing your email with less-than-reliable entities often feels like gambling with your inbox, risking a flood of unwanted messages.
Google, however, appears to be working on a potential solution, as evidenced by findings from our latest APK teardown.
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An APK teardown allows for a glimpse at potential future features by analyzing work-in-progress code. However, it’s worth noting that not all predicted features necessarily make it to public release.
The focus of today’s teardown is version 24.45.33 of Google Play Services. Upon delving into its code, we discovered numerous strings referencing and supporting a feature dubbed “Shielded Email.”
The information extracted hints at a system designed to generate single-use or limited-use email aliases.
These aliases would forward messages to a user’s primary email account. While this kind of feature would certainly be helpful in Chrome, evidence suggests Google is tailoring it to apps that require email input.
The strings suggest this feature is not solely about avoiding spam. It also addresses privacy concerns, such as reducing tracking across online activities and minimizing exposure to risks like data breaches.
If implemented, Shielded Email could be a game-changer. However, questions remain about its functionality.
For instance, will each alias be uniquely trackable in case shared data is compromised? What limitations, if any, might apply to its usage?
Could access to this feature be restricted to certain user groups? While many details remain unclear, we’ll continue monitoring Google Play Services updates to uncover further developments regarding Google’s plans for Shielded Email.
