Bluetooth trackers, while useful for locating misplaced items like keys or bags, have also raised privacy concerns due to their potential misuse. Both Apple and Google have rolled out notifications to alert users of unknown Bluetooth trackers nearby. In a significant update, Google has now enhanced this feature, enabling Android users to locate these unknown trackers, not just receive alerts about them.
New Features for Finding Trackers
Google has introduced two new features for Find My Device-compatible trackers. The first is “Temporarily Pause Location,” a tool activated when a user receives an unknown tracker notification. This feature temporarily blocks the phone from updating its location with nearby trackers for a 24-hour period. The second new feature, “Find Nearby,” assists in locating a tracker by allowing users to track its location more precisely.
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Locate a Tracker with “Find Nearby”
When an Android user receives a notification about an unknown tracker, they can tap it to view a map showing where the tracker was last detected moving with them. Users can then play a sound to try to hear the tracker or, if that doesn’t help, the “Find Nearby” feature will connect to the tracker via Bluetooth and display a shape that gradually fills in as the user gets closer to it. Google assures that the tracker’s owner will not be notified when a sound is played or the tracker is located.
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This update aligns with Google’s goal to prevent misuse of Bluetooth trackers. The new “Find Nearby” tool mirrors the one Google provides for locating devices you own, but the key difference is that you don’t need a Find My Device-compatible tracker to use it. Any Android device running version 6.0 or later can detect unknown Bluetooth trackers with this feature.
This update represents a significant step toward curbing the potential misuse of Bluetooth trackers, following in Apple’s footsteps. In May 2024, both companies agreed on a shared standard for detecting unknown Bluetooth trackers, following the launch of Google’s Find My Device network in April. Both Google and Apple have taken steps to prevent the use of trackers for harmful purposes, such as theft or stalking.
