Launched all the way back in 2015 for a single Google-made phone, Project Fi gained quite a bit of traction over the years, expanding its support to various Android handsets and eventually iPhones while also shortening its name as it reached a maturity point of sorts.
Of course, Google never envisioned this "project" as a mainstream alternative to the top three US wireless service providers for millions and millions of customers, still relying on T-Mobile's good old fashioned cellular network where Wi-Fi hotspots are unavailable and regularly experimenting with features and technologies traditional carriers are unlikely to touch on a large scale anytime soon.
One such experiment debuted more than two years ago, and after some of the lengthiest public beta tests in history, the Google Fi built-in virtual private network (VPN) functionality is finally deemed ready for primetime.
That's true for all subscribers using an Android mobile device, regardless of your Fi plan, and better yet, the search giant aims to roll out this very handy feature to all its iPhone-owning customers "starting this spring." Obviously, you won't have to use a VPN if you don't want to, but whenever the need might arise to stream, download, or simply surf the web on a fully encrypted and private connection, it's definitely nice to know you won't have to install any special app or pay extra for this benefit.
To enable your very own virtual private network, you'll just need to open the Google Fi app on a phone running Android 8.1 or higher, scroll to "Phone settings", access the "Privacy & security" menu, and lastly, turn on "Protect your online activity."
That aforementioned privacy and security "hub", by the way, will make it extremely easy to understand exactly what the VPN feature is good for, detailing all the ways it can protect you against hackers, peepers, and snoopers.
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For some reason, Google also saw the need this week to highlight Fi's ability to block suspected spam and unwanted calls, as well as protect your phone number against theft, neither of which are new or improving features.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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