Google has announced a major update to Android’s ‘Find My Device’ feature that will allow users to track valuables using third-party Bluetooth trackers, as well as warn them about unwanted nearby Apple AirTags. The update will use billions of Android devices around the world anonymously to help locate lost or stolen items, even when they are offline. Google cited an example of accidentally leaving headphones at the gym, where the feature would use nearby Android devices to locate them. The new feature will be launched later this summer.
This update will allow the ‘Find My Device’ feature to work with third-party Bluetooth trackers from companies like Tile and Chipolo and also allow users to keep track of other valuables like bicycles or suitcases. The network will be built on billions of Android devices, raising concerns about privacy. Google says location information is encrypted on the new network, which means no one, including Google, can tell where the devices are located.
One of the biggest headlines of the update is the introduction of ‘Unknown tracker alerts’ on Android, which will tell users if an unrecognized tracking tag is moving with them and will also help them find it. These alerts will work across all phones, including iPhones, thanks to a new standard agreed upon by Google and Apple. The update takes the limited ‘Find My Device’ feature to a whole new level, effectively turning over three billion Android devices into the world’s largest object-tracking network.
Despite the encryption of location information and ‘Unknown tracker alerts’, there are still concerns that this kind of tracking could be exploited by bad actors. Controversies around Bluetooth trackers, such as AirTags, have already emerged, and the upgraded ‘Find My Device’ feature may raise these controversies to the next level. While the creation of a cross-platform standard for ‘Unknown tracker alerts’ is a good move, it remains to be seen how well it will work in practice.
