Google has finally launched its advanced Find My Device (FMD) network feature starting with the US and Canada. The new service is expected to find lost Android phones and tablets, initially. Additionally, it will also help to find out headphones which are expected to come soon. Furthermore, support for third-party Find My Device Bluetooth tags are coming in May, announced Google.
What’s new?
Experts explained that the crowdsourced FMD network can use over a billion Android 9+ devices to find user’s lost items. The launch of the FMD was initially announced at Google I/O 2023 but it missed the original summer target. It is believed that initially the Find My Device app required the lost phone to have an Internet connection (no Wi-Fi or cellular). The new offering can work offline by using Bluetooth.
Features you can’t miss!
With insights from the official website of Google, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro can be found even “if they’re powered off or the battery is dead.” Google has attributed this new feature to “specialised Pixel hardware,” and is also working with other Android OEMs and chipmakers to expand this capability to premium devices.
Meanwhile, from May users will be able to find compatible Bluetooth tracker tags, which is when iOS 17.5 is expected with unknown tracker alerts. Furthermore, Chipolo and Pebblebee are soon going to release FMD devices in May, with “eufy, Jio, Motorola, and more”. They are also expected to release accessories “later this year.”
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