Android's Find My Device looks set to get its biggest upgrade soon – and it uses Apple AirTags tech

• More signs of ultra wide-band in Find My Device are spotted
• The upgrade could be rolling out imminently
• Devices can be tracked more precisely with the technology

Google's Find My Device platform got a hefty upgrade last year, adding support for offline devices and third-party trackers, and it looks like it's about to get another significant boost – courtesy of ultra wide-band technology (UWB).

This is the precise location tracking protocol that you'll find in everything from the Apple AirTag to the Google Pixel 9 Pro, and the team at Android Authority just found references to it inside the latest Find My Device app for Android.

Phones and other gadgets can already be located via GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, but UWB adds an extra level of accuracy. Rather than just knowing something is in your house, you'll actually be able to find the sofa cushion it's buried under.

We actually got the first signs of this upgrade last June, which were then followed up by mentions of a 'compass' tool in the Find My Device app. The latest code snippets – which aren't yet live – suggest the feature is now about to be deployed.

Compatible devices

Ultra wide-band isn't just about location tracking: the standard works over short distances using radio waves, and it also has applications in smart home and car tech (letting you wirelessly unlock your vehicle, for example).

For you to be able to find something via UWB, you'll need the tech to be built into the phone you're searching with, and the gadget you're trying to find. You can then find the lost item to an accuracy of just a few centimeters or inches.

Many devices now include UWB, such as the Google Pixel Watch 3, but it's not everywhere – the flagship Google Pixel 9, launched last August, doesn't offer UWB. You will find UWB in some tracking devices, including the Galaxy Smart Tag 2.

We're still waiting for some Google-branded AirTag competitors, and we haven't seen anything to suggest they're launching imminently. If Google were to launch its own trackers soon, it would be the perfect way to showcase UWB support for Find My Device.

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