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Google’s Android equivalent to Apple’s Find My network is officially here.
Google published a blog post on Monday revealing a new crowdsourced “Find My Device” network that will allow Android users to find devices like phones and tablets even when they’re offline.
Google said the network includes more than 1 billion devices and began rolling it out to Android users on devices running Android 9 or later in the U.S. and Canada starting Monday. Google plans to expand globally.
Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro Android smartphones.Photo by Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images
Next month, users will be able to find tracker tags using the Find My Device network. Tracker tags can be attached to items that are easily misplaced, such as keys or luggage. Google started supporting Chipolo and Pebblebee’s Bluetooth tags in May, and plans to add support for tags from companies like Motorola and Eufy later this year.
The Find My Device network also works with Google Nest smart home devices to show users how close a lost device is to a Google smart home product.
The network is aligned with Apple’s AirTag technology, which allows users to share tagged devices with friends and family.
Related: Google reportedly considering subscription fees for AI-enhanced internet search
Google’s Find My network has been around for a long time. The company first revealed its plans for this feature last year. Apple announced its Find My Network for iOS in 2019.
“We spent time designing the new Find My Device,” Google acknowledged in a blog post, but said it spent time considering data security and user safety when using the network.
Google and Apple partnered in May 2023 on a cross-platform standard that alerts users if they are being tracked without their knowledge.
Google’s Monday release incorporates a joint industry standard developed by the two tech giants that means both Android and iPhones will receive notifications about unknown trackers that travel with them. means.
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