When Google launched its revamped Find My Device in April, several companies announced new Bluetooth trackers that would work over the network. There was a lot of hype around these devices, as the tech giant's service was reportedly powerful enough to track lost items from anywhere in the world.
Yet here we are, three months later, and Google's Find My Device has encountered some issues.
First, Eufy, one of the brands that has pledged to support the network, has quietly delayed the launch of its Bluetooth trackers. The company updated a blog post from April with a line indicating that the SmartTrack Link for Android and SmartTrack Card for Android will launch sometime in late 2024.
9To5Google It notes that the gadgets were originally set to be released in June 2024, but that detail has, unsurprisingly, been removed from the post. The vagueness of the new date, admittedly, doesn't inspire much confidence.
Eufy informs its readers that “more details about both devices are available” on its website. However, when we searched, there was nothing there other than product listings for the iOS versions of the two SmartTrack models.
This could be a hint from Eufy, which claims that Android devices won't be radically different from their iOS counterparts. The image accompanying the device even shows an identical design.
In addition to the missing trackers, the network’s performance has come into question. Reddit user chiselpow recently compared a Pebblebee Find My Device tracker to an Apple AirTag to see how well they can transmit their location. While the results were far from conclusive or scientific, they were interesting.
They revealed that the AirTag was better at continuously updating its location over long distances, while the Find My Device tracker was not. The latter took much longer to update. Another quirk was discovered in the service's software, which could worsen the network's efficiency.
9To5Google recently discovered that Find My Device's default settings only allow it to work “in high-traffic areas.” This means that “multiple Android devices” must detect a lost item “before its location is shared” with you. That could explain why Chiselpow couldn't find its Pebblebee tag: There were no other Android smartphones near the tracker.
Google defends its decision to make the high-traffic option the default as it makes “unwanted tracking to a private location, such as your home, more difficult.” Users can change the security level to operate in all areas through the Find My Device settings if they prefer more robust protection.
For those interested in Bluetooth trackers for Android, the Pebblebee Clip is a solid option. If you don't mind waiting a bit, Motorola is releasing its Moto Tag next month.
You'll need a smartphone to get the most out of them, so be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best Android phones for 2024.
