Good news for Android users who need help finding their phones! Google has introduced an improved Find My Device Network worldwide. This means you can now use the strength of a vast crowd-sourced network to track down your misplaced Android smartphone, even if it is offline. Previously, the network only supported phones with an internet connection. Here’s the secret: other Android devices nearby will use Bluetooth secretly to detect your missing phone’s location signal, enhancing your chances of discovering it. Like Apple’s Find My Network, this network benefits from the large number of Android users globally. So, whether you dropped your phone beneath the sofa or left it at a friend’s house, Google’s Find My Device Network might be your saviour.
The tech behemoth previously mentioned the feature last year, but it remained in development. A report last week said that the functionality will be deployed shortly, and Google has officially pushed out this new technology internationally. The functionality uses a crowdsourced network of all Android users to find missing cell phones and accessories. The function operates similarly to the iPhone’s Find My app.
Erik Kay, VP of Engineering at Google, announced the functionality in a blog post: “Today, the all-new Find My Device is rolling out to Android devices around the world, beginning in the United States and Canada.” With a new, crowdsourced network of over a billion Android devices, Find My Device can help you quickly and securely locate missing Android devices and ordinary objects.
Google Find My Device Network Locates Devices Offline
This implies that a smartphone or accessory can be tracked without an internet connection. Furthermore, Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro owners can locate their smartphones even when turned off or with a dead battery. This can be extremely useful if a gadget is stolen. The Identify My Device network also includes a Find Nearby button, which may help you identify the exact position of your smartphone or device.
Google stated that the Find My Device network’s features will allow Bluetooth tracker tags like Chipolo and Pebblebee to connect to the network and track their whereabouts. These tags may fasten ordinary goods like keys, wallets, and purses. This functionality will be pushed out beginning in May. Later this year, Bluetooth tags from Eufy, Motorola, and Jio will be included.
Bluetooth Tag To Help Find Items
In addition, the network will be connected to Google Nest, and the Android functionality will display the vicinity of a missing device to Nest devices as a reference point. Users can share an accessory with family and friends, allowing everyone to keep track of its position. Using a Bluetooth tag, users may share the home key or TV remote with family members, and each person can find the item independently.
Privacy and data protection are also important considerations. Google stated that the network has many layers of protection to keep personal information secure. The Find My Device network includes end-to-end location data encryption and an aggregated device location reporting capability that prevents unwanted device monitoring. The software is compatible with smartphones running Android 9 and later.
