In 2019, Apple improvised the feature-rich Find My app with the iOS 13. It allowed users to detect their lost iPhones and iPad even when they are not connected to the internet. It later introduced Bluetooth-based AirTags accessory that can be located by iPhones with a turn-by-turn location guide.
The Cupertino-based company uses the network of billions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs around the world to catch Bluetooth signals, which are most of the time activated on all devices, to track lost or misplaced Apple devices. And, thanks to end-to-end encryption, it offers full protection for users' privacy. Even Apple has no access to the feed, but only the user will be able to find the last known location of the lost device (without the internet).
Google has also been working on a similar tracking capability for the Android ecosystem since mid-2021 and now, it is being reported that it is bringing it to the Find My Device feature.
In the latest Google Play System update change log (December 15), the company has revealed that it is ready to deploy the new feature in Find My Device. The latter will get encrypted last-known-location reports for Android devices, using a new privacy-centric framework.
Google which has officially claimed that there are more than three billion active Android devices around the world, will be able to leverage the network of devices to locate the lost device.
And, with proper user privacy protocol in place, it will be able to protect Android device owners' location details and also help those to get back their lost phone or tablet.
Other improvements coming in the Google Play System updates include bug fixes, reduce delay in finding devices via the Nearby share feature, improvements to Google Wallet, extending support for Digital Keys feature on select Xiaomi devices, and more.
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