Google’s Find My Device to Reportedly Get UWB, AR Features to Help Find Lost Devices Quicker

Google's Find My Device app may get ultra-wideband (UWB) and augmented reality (AR) features, making it easier to locate lost or stolen devices, according to a report. The Find My Device service helps Android users locate lost devices by scanning nearby devices using Bluetooth. Both these features are speculated to bring an upgrade, enabling precision finding of devices. As per the report, hints of the features were spotted during an APK teardown of the Android app.

Find My Device new features

An Android Authority report, in collaboration with tipster Assemble Debug, suggested that mentions of the UWB features were spotted in an APK teardown of the Find My Device app version 3.1.078-1. It is reported that UWBAdapter libraries were found in the app's code. This feature is speculated to bring precision finding to the app.

Apple, one of Google's biggest competitors, already utilises UWB technology in its AirTag, enabling users to find lost or stolen items with precision. It can provide directions leading to the device, sometimes as close as a few feet, helping in pinpointing it. However, Google does not utilise this tech yet, but that may soon change.

Alongside UWB, the report also suggested that AR technology may also be integrated into the Find My Device app. The app's code mentioned support for ARCore – Google's software development kit (SDK) which allows developers to create augmented reality experiences. According to Google, it utilises the device's sensors and APIs to interact with information.

However, the findings do not reportedly reveal exactly how both of these technologies will be used to enhance Find My Device. The report speculates that UWB may locate the lost device with accuracy, and then the user could turn on the device's camera to get directions using AR overlays.

Both of these features are reportedly still in development with no information about their release timeline. It is speculated that Google may or may not introduce these features, but if it does, they are likely to first arrive with a future beta version of the app, allowing select users to test its functionalities.