Google Play Services beta v24.12.14 adds Find My Device feature

Last year, Google announced a modernized network for the Find My Device program. Similar to Apple’s Find My Network, the updated Find My Device system makes use of various devices owned by others – smartphones, headphones, tablets, and more to pinpoint the other device’s location more accurately.

When Google made the announcement, it said the users will be getting this feature very soon. Thankfully, the wait is almost over. Users have spotted that the new Find My Device network page has become active in the Google Play Services beta v24.12.14.

With the Find My Device feature, you’ll be able to locate your Android device even when it is switched off. Here, you will get to know more about this feature getting added to the Google Play Services beta v24.12.14.

Google introduces Find My Device feature with Google Play Services beta v24.12.14

Find your offline devices
Find My Device offline feature in action | Pic: AssembleDebug
Find my device pixel
Find my device pixel

Even though the Find My Device feature is fully active, you will not have to hack the app or turn on flags to see it. The network itself isn’t actually on. For now, you will still be making use of the traditional Find My Network system, which relies on the particular device that you are searching for without help from a wider network of devices. This is the case even if you’re using the Play Services beta v24.12.14 version.

To date, this is the closest that users have been able to see the network work, which makes it a significant news. But why is it that users are still waiting for the Find My Network to work?

The delay can be summed up in one word – Apple. For the Find My Device network to become as capable and secure as Google knows it to be, it required the support of Apple. However, has not been as quick as Google would have hoped it to be, which is why the network is still inactive.

The latest reports suggest the possibility that the wait is almost over. Looking at the timing of the latest news and the proximity to Google I/O 2024, it can only be assumed that Google will be switching the network on then.

The new Find My Device feature will allow the users to easily locate Android devices even when they are switched off. To help locate the device and the Fast Pair accessories when offline, Find My Device uses encrypted info send by the Android device and others in the network. When your device participates in the network, it’ll securely send location info of devices that it detects nearby to help their owners find them.

This feature is being rolled out in the newest Play Services beta v24.12.14, although not all users have been sent notifications to opt into the Find My Network, suggesting that the feature is not completely operational yet.

We hope this helped you know more about Google introducing Find My Device feature with the new Google Play Services beta v24.12.14. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to mention them in the comments section.

Aviral Sharma
Aviral Sharma
Android Expert
Aviral Sharma is a talented and passionate writer who has been using words to express his thoughts ever since he learned how to hold a pen. He is passionate about outer space, history, sports, and most importantly, technology. Aviral has been a regular writer for rootmygalaxy for over 6 years and has been covering games and Android guides. He currently owns a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, an iPhone 13, and a HP Pavilion laptop.

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