How myxperia "erase" function relates to blocking and google device manager?

[botpride]

Hi, this question relates to the previous one, but a bit more complex.

So, I previously asked if device would be still blocked if it was subsequently blocked and then data-erased via myxperia service and if it's not, why the description on the site is totally misleading (since it says that device may be blocked AND/OR erased).

So here is the next question: when I made a factory-reset to my old non-sony phone (namely, LG, but it doesn't matter) to give it off to my mom - I still saw it in Google device manager and, actually, see it even now (till I disattach it) - including last online status and so on.

So that, the factory-reset itself didn't make the device invisible in my google account. Just as opposite, after blocking and erasing my sony device, now I can't see it even in google device manager. So, the question is - what is such a software "feature" for, that makes the things worse, rather makiing them better?

[Emir1]

Hi @botpride,

I am not quite sure I understand, is your question why your Z2 Tablet was removed from the list of devices in Google device manager after erasing it using myXperia? To my knowledge, simply deleting the Google account from a device will erase it from the list of devices (just tested with a device).

However, if a device supports GDP and has it activated, then the device still remembers the Google account used as you have to enter the credentials after a reset in order to use the device. I do not know how LG, but could it be that it featured GDP and had it activated?

I just now activated GDP in a compatible device (Z5 Compact), and then reset the device - but it was still available in the list of devices in Google device manager.

If I misunderstood what you meant, feel free to fill me in and I'll do my best to assist you further!

[botpride]

Well, I'll try to elaborate my question: before giving my old phone to my mom, I performed a factory reset (from-inside the UI), then, when it shown its "welcome message", entered account data of my mom (she is old and I should do it for her:), so it is now under HER account, with no trace of MY account, but it is still in "my devices" under MY account, and google says it will be there until I disattach it by myself, so (theoretically) I can block/erase/locate it.

But the reason of the question was not a bare curiosity, but to find out - if a device, that was first blocked and then erased by myxperia service, becomes totally untraceble by any means (myxperia, GDM, or so) and UNBLOCKED? Or, say, it can be blacklisted by it's serial number to make it unusable with google play (it is wifi version, no imei).

It's not a question of money, just a question of principle - to make it unusable for the thief, or, better, to find and jail him/her.

[Emir1]

I think I understand, thank you for clarifying!

Even though it may be visible in the list, if your mothers device is listed under your GDM account I suspect that you can't perform any action such as Erase it, is that correct? As long as the same Google account is not used in the device, in my personal experience you won't be able to perform any actions under your GDM in her device.

I just tried using a Z5 Compact once again, and even though I reset the device the device was still visible in GDM, but it could not be traced, erased and so forth since it got no contact with the device. Once I inserted the same Google account again, then I was able to handle it using GDM.

Could you also try that, just to confirm what I experienced? If your mother still does not have your Google account setup in her device, you should not be able to erase it and so on under your own GDM menu.

Let me know how it went!

[botpride]

The results are rather surprising

First, it DOES show correct time of the last online status (sorry for Rusian in the screenshot - the line reads "last time online 5 hours ago" - it is in auto-wifi-off mode, so it's correct state).

But when I try to locate or ring it - after some hanging, it says that the last synchronization was Jan, 1st, 2017 (yes, this is the date when I reset it and gave it off).

So, it's quite an interesting result: if you totally wipe your device, you may still see when it was last online (probably, by some permanent unique identifier), but can't do anything with it!

And yes, Z2 disappeared from this list just after wiping, so, probably, Sony Z2 and LG G2 do factory-reset in different ways.

It would be a nice idea to have some permanent identifier to survive during factory reset so one would be able to blacklist a device by filling claim to manufacturer or Google and make it totally unusable.

[Emir1]

You are right in that the devices could behave differently, however I'm afraid that I do not have an LG at hand to test and confirm that with. To my knowledge there's no way to blacklist a certain device, be it using myXperia or GDM but with Google device protection and myXperia Theft protection you can make sure the device is locked down in case of the device being stolen - since it can only be unlocked with the correct credentials.

[botpride]

Thanks for the reply! So, I think it would be a clever idea to add more descriptive warning on the webpage before "erase" function is activated - now it looks like your data will be wiped (and no trace/locate functionality will be possible), but no a single word of caution that this will actually unlock the device for further re-use/re-sell.

I think many people make the same mistake based on this unclarity.

[Emir1]

I will make sure to forward that internally as user feedback on your behalf!