What is Google's NEW Android Find My Device Network and Why Its BETTER Than the Competition

In this video I explore Google's New Android Find My Device network. I look specifically at how this network will be leveraged for bluetooth trackers and how it compares to the competiton such as Apple Airtags and Galaxy SmartTags.
check out Google's blog post to find out more about how to use it:
blog.google/products/android/...
A couple notes:
- Starting in May is when you'll be able to start using blauetooth trackers for this network. It is live to day to work on select android devices
Here are the links to the articles I snapshot in the video:
9to5google.com/2024/04/04/goo...
www.theverge.com/2022/3/1/229...
www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/0...
www.theverge.com/2023/5/10/23...
www.androidpolice.com/find-my...
9to5mac.com/2024/04/02/ios-17...

[@whycheesus]

Can't wait for reviews after month or so when it finally releases!

[@BBTechBreakdown]

Yea the Bluetooth trackers will begin shipping out next week! Hoping I get mine in one of the early batches to test out immediately, but we will see. In my most recent video I test out the new network on my current devices though, you may be interested in seeing that (if you haven't already)

[@Andrew_L]

Apple’s Find My is available on web browsers.

[@BBTechBreakdown]

Correct, but you can't track the airtags or other bluetooth trackers on there. But it also looks like the same may be the case for Google unfortunately (but I haven't had chance to test it yet)

[@mrj.juneau]

So I have a question I've been searching for and searching for let's see if I can get it out. So let's say I lose my keys in a park nearby park. A big residential area lots of people, lots of Android phones. If none of those phones have the find my device app installed, will they still be able to ping My keys.? The reason I asked. I checked my daughter's cellphone and she does not have to find My device app installed on her android phone, so will she not be able to ping my Bluetooth key slander?

[@BBTechBreakdown]

So this network (as with other networks) requires that the person be a part of the network. In the case of this network (as with apples) you are typically automatically opted in but you can choose to opt out. So in short, since she doesn't have the app I'm assuming she won't be a part of the network and therefore won't be able to ping it. She likely opted out of Google find my device at some point. So not every android user will be a part of the network (as with apples network, not every iPhone user is part of it) but since it is on by default, once this rolls around worldwide then a good portion of android users will have it (not sure on the exact numbers). Another factor to consider is changing your settings on the Google find my device app to find your device with network in all areas. This just means even if there is one devive in the network it will be used to located the device. Does this help at all?

[@mrj.juneau]

Thank you for the super quick reply. And I do like your videos. Just to clear some things up, she never opted out of the network. She just never installed the app, so if nobody installs the app. How is it gonna be a full network? There's gotta be more to it because the phone will already automatically Tell you if somebody's tracking you. so is that using the same network?

[@BBTechBreakdown]

@@mrj.juneau from my understanding you can still be a part of the network without having the actual app installed. If you are with her you could have her search in the settings app for "Find My Device". It should be integrated into the OS and work without the app. The app would be for tracking your eligible devices. I just deleted the app and still have access to these find my device settings in the settings app and I am still part of the network

[@mrj.juneau]

@BBTechBreakdown Perfect, that was a great answer. The one I was looking for also and you are right. Even though she doesn't have the app, she is part of the network. Good to know. This definitely makes the trackers a useful tool. I've used Samsung smart tags and the tile trackers. I have about 12 tile trackers and 4 Samsung trackers. I'm not happy with the tile trackers. Just because the network is not large enough to be useful. The samsung smarttags work great, they even have like a seven day location map

[@BBTechBreakdown]

@@mrj.juneau nice! That's good to know. My Pebblebee tracker just shipped and planning to test out the network with it and make a video as soon as it arrives. Honestly for the time being you will probably get a better experience with the Samsung ones until the Google network fully rolls out and works matures a little.