Here’s how setting up trackers on Google’s new Find My Device app works
Quick and easy
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The big upgrade toGoogle’s Find My Device appis rolling outto users in the US and Canada right now, with third-party trackers due to go on sale next month – and we just got a video preview of how those trackers will work with Android.
We know that Pebblebee is going to be one of thefirst out of the gate with a Bluetooth-enabled tracker, and Pebblebee CEO Daniel Daoura has taken toInstagram(via9to5Mac) to show off the setup process with Find My Device.
It couldn’t be easier: you hold up the Pebblebee Card next to your Android phone, double-tap the card to initiate the pairing process, and it’s instantly recognized by the Find My Device app on the handset. All that’s needed then is a tap on the confirmation screen.
You can then see the card on the map inside Find My Device, alongside the other devices you’ve connected. The setup process should be just as simple for other trackers – includingnewly launched devices from Anker.
New and improved
Google’s Find My Device app has been around for years, but has been limited to tracking select Android phones and wearables. Now it’s opening its doors to all kinds of other devices, from Pebblebee trackers toSony and JBL headphones.
Another important upgrade is support for tracking devices even if they’re switched off – such as theGoogle Pixel 8, for example. This requires special hardware, though, to keep a Bluetooth beacon broadcasting even if a gadget isn’t powered on.
The Pebblebee demo shows off a couple of cool tricks from Find My Device: you’re able to get trackers to play a sound to help you better locate them, and the graphics on-screen change to show you when you’re moving away from or towards your lost item.
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Eventually, the new and improved Find My Device should roll out to users worldwide, and support a host of new trackers and other gadgets. We may well hear more about it (andAndroid 15) atGoogle I/O 2024, which gets underway on May 14.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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