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Notifications from Unknown Trackers are now significantly more actionable.
Even though Bluetooth trackers have made it much simpler to locate your lost bag or keys, they have also put inconspicuous tracking tools in the hands of individuals who may abuse them. This is a problem because Bluetooth trackers are not very noticeable. In the past, both Apple and Google have implemented tracker alarms that would notify you if there is an unknown Bluetooth tracker in the vicinity. Now, as part of a new update, Google is allowing Android users to actually locate such trackers as well.This functionality is one of two new tools that Google is adding to trackers that are compatible with the Find My Device service. Once you have received a notification from an unknown tracker for the first time, you are obliged to enable the first option, which is called "Temporarily Pause Location." Over the course of twenty-four hours, it prevents your phone from updating its location with trackers. "Find Nearby" is the second option, and it allows you to locate the location of the tracker even if you are unable to see it or easily hear it.
When you click on a notification about an unknown tracker, you will be able to view a map that shows the location where the tracker was noticed moving with you the most recently. From that location, you can play a sound to determine whether or not you are able to locate it (according to Google, the owner will not be contacted). Find Nearby will link your phone to the tracker by Bluetooth and display a shape that fills in as you get closer to it. If you are unable to locate it, you can take advantage of this feature.
This service is comparable to the one that Google provides for locating trackers and devices that you actually own; however, it is crucial to note that you do not need to utilize Find My Device or have your own tracker in order to take advantage of it. In the same way that Google's original notifications feature manages notifications, any device running Android 6.0 or later may safely deal with Bluetooth trackers that are unknown.
It would appear that expanding Find Nearby is the final step that Google needs to do in order to curb the misuse of Bluetooth trackers. This is something that Apple already accomplishes with its Precision Finding tool for AirTags applications. In May of 2024, the firms released a unified standard for identifying unwanted Bluetooth trackers, regardless of whether you use Android or iOS. This came after the debut of Google's Find My Device network in April of that same year. Prior to that time, both Google and Apple had provided their own solutions for dealing with unknown trackers. These solutions were designed to prevent trackers from being exploited for a variety of purposes, including stalking and robbery.
