Google finally launches Find My Device network

Google has launched its revised Find My Device network for Android, including offline devices, as previously stated. This is now available on devices running Android 9 and later around the world, beginning in the United States and Canada today.

The network will feature over a billion gadgets, making it easy to find yours, even when they are offline. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro can be tracked even while turned off or with a dead battery, thanks to "specialized Pixel hardware".

Starting in May, new Bluetooth tracker tags from Chipolo and Pebblebee will be available, and they will be searchable in the Find My Device app because they are designed expressly for the new network. They will support alerts for unknown trackers on Android and iOS to prevent unwanted tracking. Additional Bluetooth tags will be available later this year from Anker's eufy, Jio, and Motorola.

If you're close to a lost device but can't see it, a "Find nearby" button will appear to help you pinpoint its exact location. This will work with the aforementioned new Bluetooth tags starting in May.

If you're at home and have Nest devices, the Find My Device app can detect a missing device's proximity to the Nest devices. Finally, you can'share' gadgets with other individuals, making it easier to find them if they go missing.

Google says its new Find My Device network includes "multi-layered protections" to help keep you secure and your personal information secret. Location data, for example, is end-to-end encrypted, whereas aggregated device location reporting is "a first-of-its-kind safety feature" that protects against unwanted tracking back to a home or personal location.

Software upgrades for JBL, Sony, and other headphones will be available soon, allowing them to join Google's new Find My Device network.

Google has delayed the introduction of its new Find My Device network for months while it waits for Apple to incorporate undesirable tracking protections in iOS. This appears to be coming soon in iOS 17.5, as seen by the new Find My Device network.