What is this highly anticipated new feature arriving with Android 15 ?

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Today, it is generally easier to find a lost iPhone than an Android smartphone. Apple and Google both offer systems to find a device if it is lost, but the mechanism currently offered by Google requires that a device be connected, and that its GPS is activated, so that it can be geolocated. On the other hand, Apple already has a mechanism that allows you to find a lost iPhone, even when it is offline, thanks to the Find My network which is based on Bluetooth technology. Currently, only Samsung already offers a system similar to that of Apple.

The good news is that Google is already working on an equivalent of Apple's Find My network for Android smartphones. In essence, if a device is lost, it emits a Bluetooth signal which can be picked up by other Android smartphones in the surrounding area. The information is then sent securely to Google, which sends the location of the lost device to its owner. Google has not indicated when this feature will be launched, but according to developer Mishaal Rahman, in an article on Android Police, it will be available on Android 15.

Some smartphones will be locatable, even when turned off

Moreover, Google would not just offer a system for locating smartphones offline. For certain models, locating the lost smartphone would be possible even when it is turned off. Mishaal Rahman nevertheless indicates that localization for turned off smartphones will not be deployed on all models, since it requires a certain hardware configuration.

Therefore, the developer explains that Google should offer this improved version of localization on the Pixel 9, as well as on the Pixel 8 series. On the other hand, due to hardware limitations, the localization of turned off smartphones would not be available on the Pixel 7 series. But, of course, since this information does not come from an official source, it should be considered with caution for the moment.

A novelty that is makes you wait

As a reminder, it was in May 2023 that Google announced its new offline location system for Android smartphones. “The new Find My Device network will leverage over a billion Android devices worldwide to help you locate your missing items like headphones, tracking beacons or even your phone via Bluetooth proximity ”, explained the firm. Unfortunately, this new feature has still not arrived.

• Google is working on an equivalent of Apple's Find My network, which will allow you to locate a lost device, even when it is offline
• For certain models, it would even be possible to locate when the device is turned off
• This new feature, announced in 2023, could arrive with Android 15

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