Metn. Beirut – Lebanon
Android phones finally get their first AirTag
11-Apr-2024

Android phones finally get their first AirTag

Google's rebooted Find My Device network has finally landed after a year-long wait –and now the service's first AirTag-style trackers have arrived to help you track down lost valuables with your Android phone.

The big benefit of Chipolo and Pebblebee's new trackers – which come in tag and card form – is that you can attach them to valuables that have no Bluetooth connectivity and track them in various ways using Google's new Find My Device app.

This new network anonymously uses Bluetooth proximity data from millions of Android devices worldwide (starting in the US and Canada), which means you can find your item's precise location on a map using Google's Find My Device app. If it's lost somewhere nearby, you'll also be able to tap 'play sounds' in the app to trigger a sound or get it to emit an LED light flash.Chipolo has launched the One Point tracker ($28 / £30 / AU$49) for keys and its flatter Card Point tracker ($35 / £35 / AU$49). Both use Fast Pair to quickly connect to your Android phone and have an IPX5 rating to make them splashproof against rain and drizzle. Chipolo says these will start shipping on May 27, though the first batch has now sold out and the second batch won't ship until June 10.

Chipolo has launched the One Point tracker ($28 / £30 / AU$49) for keys and its flatter Card Point tracker ($35 / £35 / AU$49). Both use Fast Pair to quickly connect to your Android phone and have an IPX5 rating to make them splashproof against rain and drizzle. Chipolo says these will start shipping on May 27, though the first batch has now sold out and the second batch won't ship until June 10.

But Pebblebee is also offering a tiny tracker called the Tag ($35 / £29 / AU$55) that weighs only 6.5g and promises up to eight months of battery life from its rechargeable battery. This is where Pebblebee's trackers differ from their Chipolo rivals, which instead offer a replaceable battery that promises to last up to a year.

These won't be the only devices (outside Android phones) that you'll be able to track using the new Find My Device network. The Eufy Smart Track Link and Smart tag Card are also coming soon for Android, while the Sony WH-1000XM5, JBL Tour Pro 2, and JBL Tour One M2 headphones will also soon get support in software updates. Google has also said that its Pixel Buds Pro will be added to the network soon, too.