As a frequent traveler, I can’t wait for Google’s Find My Device network

Google’s answer to Apple’s Find My network and AirTags appears to be imminent. Leaks have intensified over the past few days, and the latest news suggests that the network’s launch may be just three days away. As a frequent traveler and a somewhat neurotic double-checker of personal matters, I can’t wait for Google Find My Device to go live.

Well, technically Find My Device is already live, but the version we saw today was extremely limited. You can track your Android phone, tablet, Wear OS watch, and Bluetooth headphones that support quick pairing (such as the Google Pixel Buds Pro and Nothing Ear 2). However, there are three limitations:

• This only works if the device is connected, otherwise you will get its last known location.
• It relies on devices reporting their location via GPS or Bluetooth, so it doesn’t use each Android phone’s network as a backbone to search for your phone.
• It’s not open to third-party Bluetooth trackers like Tile or Chipolo.

The next version of Find My Device will address all of these limitations. It will work offline even if your phone is turned off; it will turn all other Android phones in the world into a network node to help you locate your phone; and it will allow third-party trackers to join. Tile, Chipolo and Pebblebee have been waiting for months to release Google-compatible trackers.

This should essentially create an Android equivalent of Apple’s Find My network, with potentially wider reach, especially in countries and regions where Android dominates and Apple has limited market penetration.

It all appeals to me. I take at least one trip a month – from day trips to weekend trips to long vacations. From today until August, I have plans to travel to Saint-Quentin, Chartres, Copenhagen, Malmö, Rouen, Beirut, Antwerp, London and Tirana. I need to feel secure about my phone, smartwatch, and earbuds. I also have to store my luggage on planes, trains and cars and I want to be able to track them.

One time when I was in Beirut my suitcase ended up in Peru which was not fun and there was no certainty it would be returned to me. Fortunately, it does.

Find My Device should help solve all of these problems. It should work on all my Android phones, no matter what phone I’m currently testing or using. This was my main complaint when reviewing the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2: the tracker only works with Samsung phones. So if I’m testing the Pixel Fold, using the Nothing Phone 2, or defaulting to the Pixel 8 Pro, I have to carry the Galaxy S24 Ultra with me as a secondary device wherever I go – and maintain an active connection! — Be able to use this tag. I don’t want to be tied down like this.

My second issue with SmartTag2 is that it relies on a network consisting solely of Samsung devices as its backbone. Of course, this works well in Paris and most of France, but it’s less reliable in areas where Samsung phones are less popular. By default, the Android-wide network should outperform Samsung’s dedicated network.

So just give me some Bluetooth trackers that work across the Android ecosystem and a network that can monitor all my devices and I’ll be a happy camper. I’ll stick them on my keys, wallet, and luggage; I’ll take my phone, watch, and headphones with me; and then explore Paris or travel across Europe with peace of mind. This is the functionality I really want.

Unfortunately, we know the delays aren’t Google’s fault; This is from Apple. So we’re waiting for the Cupertino design to launch unknown tracker alerts for Google’s Find My Device network, and then we can get started. I just hope this happens before my upcoming trip!