Encryption is an important part of the overall security of your data plan, but it's easy to underestimate the added complexity of any service or device. Part of this is the amount of encryption processing needed - the amount that might not be practical on small or low-end devices. Google wants to change it with a new and very effective method called Adiantum.
This is the problem. Although encryption is simply about turning one block of data into another, the process is actually quite complicated. Mathematics must be done, data read and written, re-read, rewritten, confirmed and chopped.
For text messages, it's not too difficult. But if you have to do the same thing when you store or take megabytes after megabytes of data, for example with pictures or videos, the extra calculations increase rapidly.
Many smartphones and other modern gadgets are equipped with special chips that run some of the most common algorithms and encryption processes (AES), just as we have a GPU to handle graph calculations in games and the like.
But what about older, cheaper or smarter smart home gadgets that have no room for such things on their boards? Just as they can not run the latest games, they may not be able to efficiently run the latest cryptographic processes. Of course, they can still encrypt objects, but some applications may take too long to run or discharge the battery.
Google, clearly interested in maintaining the competitiveness of low-cost mobile phones, solves this problem by creating a special encryption method for low-power phones. They call it Adiantum, and it will be an optional part of the Android distribution.
This is the problem. Although encryption is simply about turning one block of data into another, the process is actually quite complicated. Mathematics must be done, data read and written, re-read, rewritten, confirmed and chopped.
For text messages, it's not too difficult. But if you have to do the same thing when you store or take megabytes after megabytes of data, for example with pictures or videos, the extra calculations increase rapidly.
Many smartphones and other modern gadgets are equipped with special chips that run some of the most common algorithms and encryption processes (AES), just as we have a GPU to handle graph calculations in games and the like.
But what about older, cheaper or smarter smart home gadgets that have no room for such things on their boards? Just as they can not run the latest games, they may not be able to efficiently run the latest cryptographic processes. Of course, they can still encrypt objects, but some applications may take too long to run or discharge the battery.
Google, clearly interested in maintaining the competitiveness of low-cost mobile phones, solves this problem by creating a special encryption method for low-power phones. They call it Adiantum, and it will be an optional part of the Android distribution.
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