Well well well. Assuming it’s not another iOS-like feature comes to Android. Android already has Bluetooth tracker tracking (let’s say 3 times as fast) via third-party offerings like tile. However, Apple came out with its AirTagsthat everyone in the walled garden was buying, and then Samsung decided to get involved Galaxy day, which only works with Samsung devices. It was finally time for Google to find an Android-wide solution to keep up with the competition. Luckily for the platform, you don’t have to wait until a specific Android version is available to get access to that version.
Google started the Find My Device (FMD) network in the USA and Canada. The feature is available now and helps locate lost Android smartphones and tablets. It will work with more headphones and earbuds later, although I can already see mine Sony headphones And Pixel Buds A-Series populate in the Find my device App for Android. In May, Google will also begin supporting Smart Tags Pebble Bee, Chipolo, Eufy and JioTag. We will see that in May too Unknown tracker alarm Feature goes live on Android devices and iOS. Pebblebee and Chipolo are two trackers that work with both platforms.
How does Android’s Find My Device work?
Google published a blog about how the network behind Find My Device was developed. Like Apple’s AirTag network, FMD locates devices via Bluetooth proximity, allowing it to rely on other devices to tell it where it is in your room. The exact location you see when you open the Find My Device mobile app consists of aggregated location information on the device you are searching for and the other discoverable devices in the area.
In one blog entryGoogle is addressing potential security concerns with Android’s Find My Device network. The company explains how FMD is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that Google cannot identify the owners of the nearby Android devices that provided the location data. As an additional privacy protection, the app does not collect data about surrounding Android devices.
Because it uses Bluetooth, you can use devices on your home network to locate things, like keys buried under a pillow on the couch. The Find My Device app doesn’t give you detailed directions to the property, but it can show the proximity of a lost device to the property nearest Nest device in your smart home as a reference point.
When can I use Find My Device?
You can now use the Find My Device network. It is compatible with any device running Android 9 and above. If you don’t see the app in your launcher, get the app from the Play Store. Once installed and activated, the Find My Device network will be enabled by default. You can also check devices via Find My Device browser app..
So far, only a few trackers, including the brands mentioned at the top of the page, work with the FMD network. Chipolo is the one you can buy right now, while Pebblebee trackers won’t ship until May. The respective offerings from Eufy and JioTag will be released later this year. Unfortunately, you cannot find Samsung’s Galaxy Tags over this network.