Google on Monday began rolling out a new network that will allow you to track devices offline. To do this, the Bluetooth of smartphones with the Android system will be connected to the Find My Device platform. The novelty, which is coming first to the United States and Canada, the connection on different devices to help find lost equipment. The news was announced during the Google I/O 2023 event and should gain more features in Android 15.
The new Find My Device tool benefits from the sheer amount of Android devices out there. The way it works is identical to Apple’s location system. The app is able to use the connection of headphones, tablets, other Android, and even tags (Google has announced support for Chipolo tags) to reveal where the product you are looking for is.
To maintain the safety and privacy of users, Google says that location information is encrypted and only the user will know where the lost device is. Find My Device is also able to reveal if there’s an unknown tag near you — as long as it’s Android.
There is still no prediction of when the feature will be launched. The Bluetooth network will be a strong point of Find My Device in the country. Google reinforced that the global implementation of the Bluetooth network will be completed over the next few months
More new features planned in Android 15
Recently, a find in the developer preview version of Android 15 revealed that the next version of the OS will have a function to automatically turn on Bluetooth. After all, there’s no point in a huge amount of Android devices if Bluetooth will be turned off.
Another Google plan, but with a more complicated implementation, is that Bluetooth will continue to be available with the smartphone turned off. For this, manufacturers need to install hardware that supports this option of leaving Bluetooth on even with the cell phone turned off. Users of Pixel 8 smartphones already have this novelty.
