Katarzyna Petru
Android is preparing another enhancement related to data security. In the information about the Google Play services update, there was a mention of the "local file backup" feature. This is about the automatic saving of documents from the "Downloads" folder to Google Drive cloud. Until now, the system backup included applications, settings, or messages, but not regular files downloaded from the internet. The new solution is supposed to work in the background and not require manual configuration. This is particularly important for people who keep the only copy of important PDFs or documents on their phone.
Automatic document synchronization
The simplest scenario assumes that every file from the "Downloads" folder will go to a dedicated directory in Google Drive. A more advanced solution is also possible, where files would be synchronized between several Android devices. This feature was mentioned in the 26.06 version of Google Play services and will likely be rolled out gradually. If the deployment goes smoothly, Android will gain an additional layer of data protection without the need to install external applications.
Photos and videos have been going to the cloud via Google Photos for years. Now, similar protection is set to include documents as well. This is a logical move towards a more complete backup of the device and greater integration with the Google ecosystem. In practice, this means fewer situations where losing a phone equals losing important files.
Source: 9to5Google
