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Losing your device can be a scary thing, especially if you lose it in a public place. This is why Google has its Find My Device feature that lets you locate your device based on its most recent location. Well, according to a new report, Google is taking this a step further, and it just launched its new Find My Device network.
For a while, Google had its Find My Device feature. You will either use a standalone app or the website to track the location of Android devices you’ve logged into with your Google account. It will show you the phone’s last recorded location with pretty good accuracy. It even allows you to make that device ring.
Google launched its Find My Device network
While the above-mentioned feature is convenient, it’s very different from the newly launched Find My Device network. The former requires that the lost device be connected to the internet. This will allow Google to tap into its location and let you know where it is. If your device is not connected to the internet, then Google will use its last recorded location, which is less accurate.
However, the Find My Device network is much more convenient and much more accurate. Much like Apple’s Find My network, Google’s implementation will use other Android phones as the network. These devices will connect and communicate with other devices seamlessly via Bluetooth. So, if you left your phone at a coffee shop, and you’re trying to locate it, other devices in the coffee shop will be able to communicate with your phone and get a bead on its location. The surrounding phones will then communicate with Google where your phone is.
This is very convenient because this means that the feature will still be able to work even if your phone is not connected to the internet. It just needs to have Bluetooth enabled. This is why Google is testing a Bluetooth Auto-on feature in Android 15.
Availability
Starting Monday, Google will launch the Find My Device network in the US and Canada. This will encompass over a billion Android devices, and it’s only going to expand as time goes on.
In order to use this feature, you will have to open the Find My Device app. Once you see the lost device listed, you will simply have to tap the “find nearby” button. What’s also neat is that, if you have Google Home devices, the network will show your device’s proximity to them.
That’s not all
Along with this news, we also got word that several manufacturers will be manufacturing Bluetooth tags. These will be similar to Tile Bluetooth tags. You’ll attach the tag to an item that you want to keep track of. Then, using the Find My Device network, you will be able to pinpoint that item’s location. They’re perfect for locating non-Bluetooth-connected devices, keys, your wallet, etc.
Starting in May, Chipolo and Pebblebee will offer their own Bluetooth tags to purchase. However, it will not stop there. Companies like Motorola, Eufy, and Jio will also offer their own tags. This is another feature that will help bring the Android ecosystem one step closer to the seamless integration that Apple users enjoy
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