Google is developing a new Bluetooth tracking device that will take on Apple’s AirTag. Ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity has been a feature of Google’s premium “Pro” phones since 2021, including the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro. Although the hardware has so far only been used in special situations such as transferring data to a buddy or unlocking a luxury car, it is obvious that Google wants to use UWB more often.
Google has been working hard to transform the Find My Device service over the past few years. Google is apparently working on its own surveillance device to compete with Apple AirTag and expand its own “Finder Network”.
Google has developed a new Nest speaker that supports UWB and enables fast audio transmissions by positioning 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 can use the millions of Android smartphones that are now being used to find lost or stolen devices.
In the Apple ecosystem, one of the best ways to keep track of a device is by attaching one of the company’s AirTags. In conjunction with the numerous iPhones already in use, the Bluetooth and UWB signals of this accessory enable the devices to be located with centimeter accuracy.
Google is apparently working on its own surveillance device to compete with Apple AirTags, expand its own “Finder Network” and potentially make UWB more useful on Pixel phones. Kuba Wojciechowski, an Android researcher and a frequent pixel leaker, leaked the information.
The tracker will be developed under the codename “Grogu” – a reference to the popular Star Wars series “The Mandalorian” – alongside alternative names “GR10” and “Groguaaudio”. The only additional details released so far show that the Nest team is said to be leading the development and that the tracker could come in different colors.
Although Bluetooth trackers have been available for some time, 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, we noticed in 2017 that Google was developing “unknown device alerts” that would allow your Android phone to alert you to nearby trackers.
It’s difficult now to estimate the debut date or how long in development Google’s first-party tracker will be. Given that the UWB-equipped Nest Audio replacement is currently expected to arrive in either autumn 2023 or spring 2024, it’s possible a tracker with comparable UWB compatibility could do the same.
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