Google has finally launched its Find My Device network in the US and Canada, with Brits on the wait list.
The frenemy of Apple’s Find My network gives users the opportunity to locate lost and stolen devices – both and offline, near and far – leveraging the vast number of Android devices out in the wild.
It’s a boost for Android users who’re prone to leaving their content behind and opens up more powerful item trackers too. Google has published a blog post with a primer for Android to get them au fait with the benefits of the tech.
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“Find My Device is secure by default and private by design. Multi-layered protections built into the Find My Device network help keep you safe and your personal information private, while keeping you in control of the devices connected to the Find My Device network,” Google explains in the blog post.
“This includes end-to-end encryption of location data as well as aggregated device location reporting, a first-of-its-kind safety feature that provides additional protection against unwanted tracking back to a home or private location. Read more about how our multi-layered protections for the Find My Device network work.”
Below are the best new features coming to Android users.
Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro users get extra benefits
Google says you’ll be able to locate your phone or tablet by ringing it or locating it on a map when they’re offline. However, if you have a latest-gen Pixel phone you’ll be able to track down the phone even if the phone is off or the battery has been run down.
Google says starting from May, you’ll be able to make use of Bluetooth tags from companies like Chipolo or Pebblebee, which are built specially for Find My Device. These trackers, like Apple AirTags, will have anti-stalker protections across iOS and Android.
The Unwanted Tracker Alerts will not be platform exclusive, so iPhone users will get be notified if they they have an Android-based tracker placed on their person or in their vehicle for instance.
Waiting for Apple to build and launch this common standard is one of the reasons Google’s rollout has been 10 months in the offing.
Find Nearby
Those tags, which launch in May, will still have the ability to Find Nearby. For devices like Tile trackers this is managed through its own app, but for the specially-designed Find My Device tags you’ll be able to summon a sound for precision discovery in the immediate proximity.
Nest devices play a role in in-home search
If an item attached to a tracker, like your house keys, are left near a Nest device in the home, you can use it as a reference point to aid with discovery.
Collaborative searching
Google is enabling users to share Find My Device-compatible trackers, to make searching for the lost item easier. So if you’re struggling to find your house keys, one person can scan the home, the other can go and look in the car.
