Ultra-Wideband and AR enhancements coming to Google’s Find My Device, plus easier management of trusted places

Key Points:

1. Google is adding Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and AR to enhance indoor tracking in Find My Device.
2. The Find My Device app may soon offer AR-based directions to locate lost devices with high precision.
3. Google plans to simplify managing Trusted Places for extended unlock with a new toggle feature.

A few months ago, it was revealed that Google was developing Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and augmented reality (AR) support for its Find My Device network. Today, new details have emerged about these exciting features, which aim to improve the way you locate your devices.

UWB Support: Precision Indoor Tracking

Google’s Find My Device will soon incorporate UWB technology, which is designed to enhance precision when tracking lost devices indoors. This improvement would allow Google to compete more directly with Apple’s Find My service, which already uses similar technology. UWB enables highly accurate location tracking, helping you pinpoint devices within close range, even when they’re hidden behind objects like furniture.

AR Directions: Guiding You to Your Device

Another upcoming feature is the addition of ARCore support in Find My Device. This integration could mean that AR directions, such as “turn left” or “the device is behind you,” would guide users to their lost devices in real-time, similar to how Samsung’s SmartTag 2 works with SmartThings. These AR-based cues could make finding misplaced items much faster and more intuitive, using visual overlays on your phone’s display.

While these features were first uncovered months ago, they haven’t gone live in the app yet. It’s important to note that, as with any app update, there’s no guarantee of when or if these additions will be officially released.

Simplified Trusted Places Management

In addition to the updates in Find My Device, Google is working on making its “Trusted Places” feature easier to manage. Trusted Places allows your phone to stay unlocked in secure locations, such as your home, for up to four hours. This feature is part of the Extended Unlock option in Android, but until now, it has been difficult to manage when you want to make temporary changes.

A new beta version of Google Play Services (v24.37.31) includes a convenient toggle that lets users turn the Trusted Places feature on or off without deleting the saved locations. Previously, if you wanted to disable Trusted Places, you had to remove all your trusted locations, which was inconvenient for short-term changes.

This update streamlines the process, making it easier to enable or disable the feature. There’s also a revamped location picker interface to help users set up Trusted Places more efficiently.

What’s Next?

Although these updates aren’t fully rolled out yet, they align with Google’s ongoing efforts to enhance Android’s security and usability. With the new UWB and AR capabilities in Find My Device, and the simplified Trusted Places management, users will have more control and convenience in keeping their devices secure and easy to locate. Keep an eye on future updates for these exciting improvements.