Google has just revealed the brand-new Find My Device network. As we’ve covered, this update allows the anti-feature of Android devices to offer much more reliable tracking. To be precise, it allows you to track compatible devices even when they are offline.
But Google has made the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro enjoy a feature that’s not currently available on other phones. With the new Find My Device network update, those two phones can be tracked even when they’re powered off or the battery is dead. This takes lost device tracking to the next level.
Google described that it was possible to make it happen on the Pixel 8 series because of specialized hardware. This special hardware allows the Bluetooth chip to function even when there’s no power. However, Google doesn’t want this Find My Device feature to stay exclusive to Pixel devices.
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Google is Encouraging More Android Phone Makers to Adopt the New Find My Device Feature
As Google describes, the company is working with OEMs and SoCs. The plan is to bring the ability to find devices with dead batteries to more “premium Android devices.” Yes, at the current stage, it seems Google wants the higher-end phones to come with the feature. But it didn’t completely deny that the feature won’t come to mid-range or affordable smartphones.
Nonetheless, once OEMs figure out a way to keep the Bluetooth chip turned on, the powered-off Find My Device tracking will come to more phones. But it’s not clear whether the currently available devices can get the feature. At present, most Android phones don’t have what it takes to ping each other over Bluetooth when they are powered off.
iPhone models have had hardware support long before Google introduced the feature in its latest smartphones. But it’s possible that some of the recently launched flagships could get support with software updates. We will need to wait and see if the powered-off Find My Device tracking becomes possible on existing devices.