I was ignorant of what Google Play Protect does a few minutes ago,
but now I'm less ignorant, as shown by these screenshots I made for you.
Here are some related screenshots for my Google Play Protect questions:
<
https://i.postimg.cc/1tPHPWpK/gpprotect01.jpg> No Google Play account
<
https://i.postimg.cc/vBzvmWhw/gpprotect02.jpg> Turn on Play Protect scan
<
https://i.postimg.cc/fyRfSJqt/gpprotect03.jpg> Google Play App Updates
<
https://i.postimg.cc/3xvCGM1B/gpprotect04.jpg> Turn on Play Protect?
<
https://i.postimg.cc/1tQ9tPHG/gpprotect05.jpg> Manual GPProtect scan
<
https://i.postimg.cc/ZKM4N6HK/gpprotect06.jpg> Change your defaults!
I always thought of Google Play Protect as an antivirus for Android.
Dunno if that's accurate though, but it's something I don't need if it is.
I did notice just now, that even without logging into anything, and without
having Google Play Protect scanning turned on, you can still manually scan.
Digging up cites... this is probably the starting point:
<
https://developers.google.com/android/play-protect/>
"Every day, Google Play Protect automatically scans all of the apps
on Android phones"
This says it scans your phone once a day if it's turned on:
<
https://developers.google.com/android/play-protect/client-protections>
"Google Play Protect's Verify Apps service scans devices once everyday."
"Google Play Protect scans Android devices for evidence of PHAs."
"If a PHA is found, a notification asks the user to remove it."
It also says the scans happen offline and online.
"Google Play Protect has offline scanning, which helps prevent
well-known PHAs from being installed offline.
When the device regains network connectivity, it undergoes a full scan."
This says there are two sub options once you turn it on:
<
https://support.google.com/android/answer/2812853>
"Turn Google Play Protect on or off"
"Send unknown apps to Google"
It also sys the checks happen at install time if it's turned on.
"Google Play Protect checks apps when you install them."
"It also periodically scans your device."
Then there is "Google Play Protect Certification" device status.
<
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/7165974>
"Only Play Protect certified devices are eligible to include
Google apps, like the Google Play Store app."
Check your Play Protect certification status
a. Open the Google Play Store app Google Play.
b. At the top right, tap the profile icon.
c. Tap Play Protect.
d. That is supposed to tell you if your device is Play Protect certified.
(Mine didn't say anything at all that used the word 'certified'.)
This says Google Play Protect has three components to it:
<
https://www.howtogeek.com/355504/what-is-google-play-protect-and-how-does-it-keep-android-secure/>
"it's part malware scanner
part Find My Phone,
and part Safe Browsing."
Huh? None of the Google articles mentioned those last two things at all!
"Open the Play Store menu, and then select the 'My Apps & Games' setting.
The top option on the My Apps & Games page is the Play Protect status
summary. Tap it to find out more."
Of course, I don't have any of that since I don't have a login.
But I'm not sure it's any different from what I have without a login.
Just in a different menu.
Apparently here's the "find my phone" part of Google Play Protect:
"you can use Play Protect's Find My Phone to track your device.
Regardless of whether it's lost or stolen, you can track down
the phone's current (or last known) location.
And if it seems like you're not getting your phone back,
you can use Find My Phone to remotely lock and wipe your device."
And I guess this is the Google Play Protect 'safe browsing' feature:
"Play Protect also integrates seamlessly with Chrome to keep you
safe from malware on the web. If it detects malicious code on
a website, you'll be warned and directed back to safety.
I don't use Chrome (I use ungoogled chromium instead); so I suspect
I don't get this in my Google Play Protect package. :)
In summary, I have "most" of what Google Play Protect does since
most of it works without a login, but most of you probably have
a login so maybe you can tell me more about the latter two features.
--
Each of us uses a different phone and different setup so we can each help
the others understand better how the phone works under various condistions.