Android’s Login Is Cool, But Is It Secure?

I’ve been hearing a lot about Google’s innovative login feature for the Android phone, but only saw it today for the first time (Loren Feldman, who recently did some video of one, sent a screenshot).

Unlike other phones, which require a four digit number for unlocking, the Android simply puts nine dots arranged in a square on the touch screen, along with the words “draw pattern to unlock.” My understanding is that any pattern can be used as long as it touches at least four of the dots. Given the many, many different possible patterns (any math majors want to tell me how many?), it seems like a decent way to to lock and unlock a phone.

Except a very low tech side effect of the touch screen may be giving Google pause.