Subj : Android 15 could help you find lost devices even when they're off
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Fri Mar 15 2024 10:30:05

Android 15 could help you find lost devices even when they're offline

Date:
Fri, 15 Mar 2024 10:27:03 +0000

Description:
It looks as though offline tracking support will be coming to the Pixel 9 and 
the Pixel 8 phones this year.

FULL STORY
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The date for Google I/O 2024 was just set for May 14, 2024 , and part of the 
event will be showcasing all the new features arriving with Android 15 this 
year  including, perhaps, the ability to find lost devices even when they're 
offline. 

This is a feature that's been talked about since last year , but it's back in 
the headlines: Android Police has done some code digging in Android and says 
the feature is likely to roll out to the Google Pixel 9 and quite possibly 
the Google Pixel 8 with Android 15. 

However, offline device tracking can't be switched on for every device: it 
requires some additional engineering at the hardware level. It doesn't look 
as though handsets such as the Google Pixel 7 or the Google Pixel Fold are 
going to get the feature. 

This will work  as it does on the iPhone 11 and later iPhones  by keeping 
Bluetooth beacon signaling active even when the rest of the handset is shut 
down. Those beacons can then be picked up by other gadgets that support 
device tracking as they pass by, and reported back to the owner. Coming 
soon-ish You can already track Android devices, if they're online (Image 
credit: Google) 

There is a caveat to all of this, which is that the expansion of Google's 
Find My Device network to include offline devices and third-party trackers 
hasn't happened yet  even though it was announced at Google IO 2023 last May. 

You can already use the Find My Device network to track down Android and Wear 
OS devices, provided they're powered on and connected to the internet. The 
planned upgrade will apparently add support for offline devices and 
third-party trackers, and will be able to warn you if someone is using a 
tracker to stalk your location without your knowledge. 

According to Android Police , Apple is the reason for the delay: Google is 
apparently waiting for Apple to get around to finalizing its specification 
for tracking lost devices across platforms, no matter what software they're 
running. 

Hopefully, we'll hear more about all of this on May 14, though it may be 
several months before anyone can actually make use of it. If Google sticks to 
its 2023 schedule, we should see Android 15 and the Google Pixel 9 phones 
sometime in October. You might also like Android 15 could come with satellite 
messaging We might see a key display upgrade on the Pixel 9 These are the 
best Android phones right now



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/phones/android/android-15-could-help-you-find-lost-d
evices-even-when-theyre-offline


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