Google has introduced a new “Find My Device” network for Android users, allowing trackers to be located using millions of Android devices. The refreshed experience allows you to easily find misplaced Android devices and accessories. There is a safety net to detect unwanted trackers.
Google has updated the Find My Device experience on Android. (Image Credit: Google).
Key Highlights
- Utilising a vast network of Android devices, Find My Device can locate your belongings almost anywhere, even if they’re offline.
- Location data within the network is encrypted, ensuring privacy for all participants.
- Compatible accessories will be labelled with a ‘Works with Android’ badge.
New Delhi: Google has updated the Find My Device experience, leveraging the global proliferation of Android devices. The rollout is starting in US and Canada, and will reach a crowdsourced network of over a billion Android devices. The capability can be used to find lost Android smartphones or tablets by ringing them or viewing their locations on a map, even if they are not connected to the internet.
The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users can find their devices even if they are powered off or dead, thanks to specialised hardware. There is a feature dedicated to tracking items in the immediate vicinity, with a flower shape filling up the closer you get to a device. The app also shows the proximity of a device to Google Nest, to provide a reference point for locating lost devices.
There is support for third party tags
From May, Google will also allow locating of everyday items such as wallets, keys or bags with Bluetooth tracker tags from Chipolo and Pebblebee from within the Find My Device app. The tags are built specifically for the Find My Device network, and are compatible with unknown tracker alerts across both Android and iOS, which prevents unwanted tracking. Google also plans to support tags from eufy, Jio and Motorola later in the year.
Accessories can be shared with friends and family
When things go missing, you can also share the devices with trusted contacts. This can be for a tagged bag, a remote, or a house key. There are multiple mechanisms in place to ensure the privacy of user data, despite using a crowdsourced network of devices. Any Android device, anywhere in the world will help you locate your device, while keeping users in control of their devices. Location data as well as aggregated device location reporting are encrypted end-to-end.
