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Find My Device on Android

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Re: Find My Device on Android

#281

Post by fkkffdddd »

fy20 wrote: post #211

Is there a technical reason why this can't work with Apple's Find My network, or is it just that they don't want to work together? Using the "Unknown Trackers" feature my Samsung phone can scan for nearby AirTags and tell them to play sounds.

It’s actually two separate aspects, there’s the network for crowdsourced finding, and there’s the localisation of unwanted trackers.

The feature that lets you ring nearby trackers is actually standardised between Apple, Google, Samsung and the others. It goes by DULT - Detection of Unwanted Location Trackers.

The crowdsource networks are not compatible.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#282

Post by md_ »

extraduder_ire wrote: post #280
md_ wrote: post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On Apple's devices, you cannot disable that BLE broadcast. The same is true on the Pixel 8: https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/8/24123909/google-pixel-8-pr... . That's the whole point of this design, and fundamentally different than just having some app ping a server once in a while so long as it has network access.

Even if you turn on airplane mode on the device?

Beats me. I can't find anything definitive on this. Since Apple devices continue to broadcast Find My signals even when powered off (as long as they have a little bit of battery left), I assume they continue to do so in airplane mode.

It wouldn't do a lot of good if thieves could just turn off Bluetooth, right?

Re: Find My Device on Android

#283

Post by WinstonSmith84 »

bdcravens wrote: post #212
NoahKAndrews wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AirTag relies on Bluetooth as well, right? It certainly doesn't have a cellular connection.

In addition to BLE, AirTags use UWB. I assume this is how AirTags can provide fairly high-fidelity directional guidance, something that wasn't clear the new set of Android tags provide.

Might not be an Android tag limitation rather than a smartphone limitation. Few android smartphones offer UWB, but maybe this will change

Re: Find My Device on Android

#285

Post by mazsa »

non415556 wrote: post #220
explore wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does anyone know if the baseband chip communication with the tower is disabled in airplane mode?

I've measured with an external, unconnected RF monitor. The cell phone shows clear activity when not in airplane mode, and then zero activity when in airplane mode. There's my anecdata...

I was told: "I suspect that in airplane mode it would only communicate at the specific request of the system (and perhaps in spread spectrum mode), so [before baseband is activated from outside] it would not be worth measuring." What do you think?

Re: Find My Device on Android

#286

Post by kuschku »

shuckles wrote: post #224
kelnos wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh sure, it would be a great opportunity, but the idea of Apple voluntarily interoperating with anyone else on most things is just funny to think about. Google isn't significantly better on that metric, of course, but I feel like it's often in Google's business interests to interoperate more often than it is in Apple's.

Apple's Find My spec has been available for 3rd party adopters for years.

Only for third party tags, not phone apps, though?

Re: Find My Device on Android

#287

Post by sirsinsalot »

ryukoposting wrote: post #209
el_duderino wrote: post #2

Google posted another blog on how they built the new Find My Device network: https://security.googleblog.com/2024/04/find-my-device-netwo...

As a chronic loser of keys and wallets, I recognize the user need here. However, this is a prime example of a piece of software that can only be trusted when an open-source implementation is provided. Google and their customers don't have much to gain through a proprietary implementation. If anything, open-sourcing Find My Device Network would allow third party devices to join the network, enhancing its value to Goog…

Governments already have the means to position your phone, all the time, whenever they wish.

They don't need google for that. It's built right into the phone network.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#288

Post by InsomniacL »

cbeach wrote: post #272
fsflover wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like, you know, the Internet?

Indeed. Good example. If Cerf, Kahn and others had been forced to make the internet (as we know it today) compatible with with nascent competitors such as X.25, Cyclades, OGAS and EIN, it would have compromised the design process with a “too many chefs” problem. Also would have forced the Internet to a lowest common denominator of capability.

In the IOT/Home Automation device world, Zigbee and Z-Wave were competing standards.

Z-Wave was a proprietary standard and have a device certification process.

Zigbee was a open-source IEEE standard.

Both had their pros and cons but weren't interoperable.

Manufactures have agreed to create and move to a new standard "Matter"

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matter_(standard)

I don't see why this success storey couldn't happen for the 'lost device world' or most other proprietary non-interoperable systems. (why can't i send a message from Whatsapp to Messenger)

Re: Find My Device on Android

#289

Post by ReptileMan »

>Locate your compatible Android phone and tablet by ringing them or viewing their location on a map in the app — even when they’re offline. And thanks to specialized Pixel hardware, Pixel 8 and 8 Pro owners will also be able to find their devices if they’re powered off or the battery is dead.

Then they are not really offline or off are they? Bring back removable batteries in the phones.

Re: Find My Device on Android

#290

Post by justinmarsan »

Does anyone know of a good way to have an Android phone ring from another Android phone, without sharing all account access ?

My wife keeps her phone on silent but loses it multiple times a day. We use the computer to make it ring using Find my Device, but it'd be a lot easier if I could just do it from my phone, which I can if I install the app and then add her Google account to the accounts on my phone, but then I get access (and notified of) all her emails, google photos and stuff like that.

Is there an alternative ? Some way to just have both phones agree to sync somehow and then one can make the other ring, regardless of sound settings.

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