Google today is more widely alerting Android users in the US and Canada about the Find My Device network launch.
The rollout for those two countries started in early April. Until FMD Bluetooth tags arrive later this month, it’s initially for finding lost Android phones and tablets.
The “Your Android devices will soon join the Find My Device network” (from “Google’s Find My Device”) email serves as a brief introduction to how “you’ll be able to locate your devices even if they’re offline.”
You can also find any compatible Fast Pair accessories when they’re disconnected from your device. This includes compatible earbuds and headphones, and trackers that you can attach to your wallet, keys, or bike.
Then there’s a brief “How it works” section:
- “Devices in the network use Bluetooth to scan for nearby items. If other devices detect your items, they’ll securely send the locations where the items were detected to Find My Device. Your Android devices will do the same to help others find their offline items when detected nearby.”
- “Your devices’ locations will be encrypted using the PIN, pattern, or password for your Android devices. They can only be seen by you and those you share your devices with in Find My Device. They will not be visible to Google or used for other purposes.”
Finally, Google is informing users about their options if they don’t want to participate. FMD’s crowdsourcing network will be enabled by default, but users have four options:
Off: Only online finding (when your phone/tablet is connected to the internet) available
Without network: You won’t leverage the 1+ billion Android devices, but “you can still find some of your items when they are offline, including your Android device and the Fast Pair accessories connected to it, like earbuds, by storing their encrypted recent locations with Google.” Tracker tags won’t work.
With network in high-traffic areas only: The default setting. Aggregation leveraged.
With network in all areas: Can “find lost items even when your device is the only one that has detected and shared a location for the item.” Google says this “option may help you find your lost items more quickly.”
As of this email, the settings aren’t yet live. You can check by going to Settings > Security & privacy > Device finders > Find My Device.
You’ll get a notification on your Android devices when this feature is turned on in 3 days.
Alternatively, you can opt out from here as you await the on-device settings: google.com/android/find/settings/fmdn.
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