[ad_1]
Will Google ever launch its “Find My” network? The Android ecosystem should have had its own version of Apple’s AirTags by now. Google has kept its crowdsourced device tracking network dormant on his 3 billion Android smartphones since December 2022. Partners are preparing to deploy Bluetooth tag hardware starting in May 2023. This was all supposed to start a year ago, but Google is stuck in a holding pattern. The good news is that after a year of silence, progress is finally being made.
The reason for Google’s significant delay is actually Apple. A week before Google’s partners unveil Bluetooth tags for Android networks, Google and Apple are working together to detect “unknown” Bluetooth trackers and alert users if they think their phone is being stalked. announced a standard for display. Since you can always see your AirTag’s location, you can use it for stalking by simply slipping it into your bag or car. Nobody wants that, so everyone’s favorite mobile duopoly is teaming up.
Google executed half of this partnership, deploying AirTag detection in July 2023. At the same time, Google also announced: “We have decided to hold off on deploying the Find My Device network until Apple implements protections for iOS.” Indeed, Apple wants to bring tag detection to iOS and Android as soon as possible so that Google can compete with AirTags. You’ll be burning the midnight oil to get started.
iOS 17.5 seems to be the magical version Google has been waiting for. The first beta version was recently released to testers, and 9to5Mac recently discovered a string to detect “unwanted” non-Apple tracking devices that suddenly follow you. This 17.5 update still needs to be released and is expected to be released sometime in May. That comes 11 months after Google’s release.
Like AirTags and the Tile network before it, the goal of this project is to enable useful little Bluetooth tracking tags that tell you where things are. These Bluetooth tags are ultra-low power and aim to last one year on a small battery. This means there is no room left for GPS. However, you can “borrow” the GPS chip of a compatible smartphone within range, so you can report your location. Your phone scans Bluetooth tags, even those you don’t own, records your approximate location, and uploads it to the cloud. This is all done anonymously and only the tag owner can see the tag’s location, but everyone in the network participates in building a crowdsourced global object tracking network.
Tile started the whole idea by having users running the Tile app perform anonymous location uploads to all other tiles in their ears. However, nothing comes close to the scale of Apple’s version. Apple’s version works on any iThing and is more reliable the larger the network. Once Android is released, it will have an even larger network. In an ideal world, Android and iOS would work together to perfectly track all his Bluetooth trackers, regardless of make or model, but they only work together for stalking detection.
Google prepares for launch
With the release of iOS just around the corner, Google seems to be picking up ducks as well. 9to5Google has shared a screenshot of the new “Find My Device” settings page that appears to some users. This page gives you the opportunity to opt out of anonymous tracking networks. The report also states that some users received an email on Thursday informing them of the impending launch of the tracking network, stating that “If this feature is turned on within three days, you will receive a notification on your Android device. Until then, access the network through Find My Device on the web. ” The majority of Android users do not have However, receiving this email suggests that it was probably a mistake. It’s very strange to announce a release with “number of days left” instead of simply saying the date something will be released, and this email was sent on a Thursday, so it’s a Sunday when everyone has the weekend off. There will be some strange releases.
An official announcement could come at any time, but Google has said it wants to wait for Apple’s announcement, meaning it will be at least a few weeks before the feature actually takes effect. He also needs a tracking tag and release date from his partner, poor hardware that seems to have been sitting in the warehouse for a year. Google partners His Chipolo and Pebblebee have both been accepting pre-orders for Android tracking tags for the past year, with no updates on launch.
And speaking of hardware, Google was once supposed to build first-party tracking tags. He first heard about the device, codenamed “Grogu,” in January 2023, which was expected to include speakers, UWB compatibility, and Bluetooth LE. Is it still happening? It’s probably time for a second generation device. Apple’s iOS release in May would be great timing for the Google I/O announcement, but we were also expecting an announcement at his I/O last time, so who knows? not.
[ad_2]
Source link
