Mehul Ruben Das17 Jan. 2023 17:51:49 IST
Google is developing a new Bluetooth tracking device that will adopt Apple’s AirTag. Ultra-broadband (UWB) connectivity has been a feature of Google’s premium “Pro” phones since 2021, including the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro. While the hardware has so far only been used in specialized situations, such as sending data to a buddy or unlocking a luxury car, it’s clear that Google wants to see UWB used more often.
Google has been working hard over the past few years to transform the “Find My Device” service. Google is apparently working on its own surveillance device to compete with Apple AirTag and expand its own “Finder Network”.
Google was developing a new Nest speaker that supports UWB and enables fast audio transfer by placing your Pixel close to the speaker. Google has been working hard over the past few years to transform the “Find My Device” app into something that the millions of Android smartphones now in use can use to find lost or stolen devices.
In Apple’s ecosystem, one of the best ways to track a device is to attach one of the company’s AirTags. Combined with the numerous iPhones already in use, the Bluetooth and UWB signals of these accessories enable accurate location of the devices to the nearest centimetre.
Google is apparently working on its own surveillance device to compete with Apple AirTags, expand its own “Finder Network” and perhaps make UWB more useful on Pixel phones. Kuba Wojciechowski, an Android researcher and a frequent leaker on all things Pixel, leaked the information.
The tracker is said to be in development under the code name “Grogu” – a reference to the popular Star Wars series “The Mandalorian” – in addition to the alternate names “GR10” and “Groguaudio”. The only additional details made public so far reveal that the Nest team is ostensibly leading development and the tracker could come in a variety of colors.
While Bluetooth trackers have been available for a while, their precision and unexpected popularity have raised legitimate concerns about how to tell if a tracker has been placed on your property without your permission. To that end, in 2017, we noticed that Google was developing “unknown device alerts,” which would allow your Android phone to alert you to nearby trackers.
It is now difficult to estimate the debut date or the length of development of Google’s first-party tracker. Since the UWB-equipped Nest Audio replacement is currently expected in Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, it’s possible a tracker with similar UWB compatibility will do the same.
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