You Can Track Your Pixel 8's Location Even After Its Battery Dies

howtogeek.com:

Google is celebrating the launch of its Find My Device network. And, interestingly, the company now says that Pixel 8 devices can be located even when their batteries are drained.

All smartphones running Android 9 or later are integrated with the Find My Device tracking network. Using low-energy Bluetooth, these devices can detect and anonymously report the location of lost or stolen items, making it easier for people to find their belongings.

In other words, Find My Device is the Android version of Apple's Find My network. It works with phones, smartwatches, earbuds, and small AirTags-like trackers.

Even if a phone is turned off, its location may be detected and reported to the Find My Device network—this is an essential feature, as any half-wit thief will turn off a stolen phone. Still, the ability to track a phone with dead batteries comes as a bit of a surprise.

According to Google's support page, devices like the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro can be tracked "for several hours" after running out of battery. It seems that these phones can reserve some energy for Bluetooth after dying. If this is a software feature, it could be retroactively added to older Android devices. But if it's a hardware feature, we'll only see it in new phones. (The battery impact of low-energy Bluetooth is pretty negligible, in case you're wondering.)

Google specifically says that the "Pixel 8 series and up" can be tracked after running out of battery. So, the feature probably won't be extended to older Pixel devices, though it should appear in the Pixel 9 (and the Pixel 8a, potentially).

In addition to this Pixel 8 announcement, Google has shared several screenshots of the Find My Device app. The company also says that Nest smart home devices can help you find lost trackers or items within your home.

Note that Google isn't the first company to offer dead-device tracking. All iPhones made since 2019 can be tracked for a brief period after their batteries die.

The Android Find