Google Rolls Out Its Advanced Find My Device Network

Today marks the debut of Google's latest innovation in personal item recovery technology within the United States and Canada: the Find My Device (FMD) network. This launch promises to simplify the task of locating misplaced Android smartphones and tablets. The company plans to extend this service to include headphones and will introduce compatibility with third-party Bluetooth tags for FMD in May.

Leveraging a vast network of over a billion devices running Android 9 or newer, the FMD network operates on a crowdsourcing model. This development, which was unveiled during Google I/O 2023, aims to overcome the limitations of the earlier version of the Find My Device application, which depended on an active internet connection to locate lost devices. The enhanced version now finds devices even without Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity by utilizing Bluetooth technology.

The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro feature the ability to be located even when switched off or with depleted batteries, thanks to Google's integration of specialized hardware within these models. Efforts are underway to extend this capability to other high-end devices through collaborations with various Android manufacturers and chipset developers.

In May, we’ll see the introduction of compatible Bluetooth tracker tags, coinciding with the anticipated release of iOS 17.5, which is rumored to include features for detecting unidentified trackers. Brands such as Chipolo and Pebblebee are set to unveil their FMD-compatible devices next month, with companies like eufy, Jio, Motorola, and others expected to launch their own accessories later in the year.

The network will also support updates from brands like JBL and Sony for their headphones to become FMD network-compatible. However, Google has yet to announce plans for integrating this technology with Wear OS smartwatches.

The Find My Device app serves as the hub for accessing the network, displaying a list of your devices. Users can select a device to locate, triggering sounds and hints to guide them to it, with indicators such as "Device is close," "...very close," and "It's here."

The FMD network allows for the sharing of FMD tags within the app, with the option to revoke access at any time. The rollout of Google's Find My Device network starts today in the US and Canada, with users expected to receive notifications via email and notifications directly on their devices prompting them to engage with the new service.