What happened to the Google Next Tracker Tag codename Grogu?

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Vintage Geek

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  • #1
    Google's tracker device to work with "Find my Device" was coming... last I heard it was delayed while Apple (!?) implements some alerts for unwanted tags.
    9to5google.com

    Google delays launch of Find My Device network and trackers, benefiting Apple

    The Find My Device (FMD) network was originally supposed to launch this summer, but Google is now delaying it over...
    9to5google.com 9to5google.com
    Some other small companies like Chipolo and Pebblebee opened preorders for their tracker devices forever ago... they gotta be dieing for google to get this done.
    I thought it might come with Google's announcements yesterday, but no.
    Any ideas whats really holding this up? Is Google still really waiting for Apple to implement something? That seems likely to take forever...
     
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    comadose

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  • #3
    It seems that Apple are being dicks by not rolling out support for non-Apple tags. Google has said they want to wait for Apple to get support, so they don't facilitate massive amounts of stalking like AirTags did.

    It's just a software update, but Apple are dragging their heels. I've been waiting for a Google compatible tag for a long time.

    Hopefully manufacturers like Samsung can release a firmware update to support Google's system. It would be crazy not to, given the size of the Android Find My Device network.
     
    Nevarre

    Nevarre

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  • #4
    Google was reciprocal with Apple to allow Android to track Air Tags only in an "am I being stalked" scenario without full user support for Air Tags on Android. I have no doubts that if Google does eventually come out with that hardware, the code for anti-stalking will be pushed down to all in-support Android phones in short order. Samsung's not going to resist that and they're the only player that has their own (barely) credible ecosystem of trackers.

    Still, playing with others is not Apple's strong suit...
     
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    comadose

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  • #5
    The anti-stalking feature was pushed out to Android a while back. The problem is that Apple only supports anti-stalking for its own AirTags, and they haven't updated AirTags to use the open protocol that includes things like a URL with instructions to disable the tag.

    Until Apple enables anti-stalking for all tags using the standard, Google won't release their ones. Some manufacturers have been taking pre-orders for much of this year.

    Hopefully once it is out there will be some better pricing, because the usual £30/tag is ridiculous. I expect they will be down to £5/tag in short order.
     
    Nevarre

    Nevarre

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  • #9
    rodalpho said:
    Apple findmy compatible devices are widely available. I have an Anker findmy card in my wallet, it cost $16 and works great. Supports all features other than the UWB directional close by search, but the noise it emits is more than sufficient to locate it when close.

    My guess is Google wants full bidirectional integration of some kind instead.
    Click to expand...

    That's not what I understand the hold up to be, but it's confusing due to similar naming.

    Google's Find My Device (FMD) is a distinct network much like Samsung's network of devices and the Tile network of devices, but it's not Apple's FindMy.

    What they want is for Apple phones to detect when a tracker that's not linked to the phone starts following the device around-- the anti-stalker feature basically. Google added support for Apple's FindMy standard such that if an AirTag or compatible device starts following an Android phone around, the Android phone will alert you that you might be being stalked and then you can start searching for whatever might be tracking you if that's the case. Google doesn't want to get sued if someone slips a Google tracker into the personal effects of someone who has an iPhone and then later goes and does them harm.

    As seems to be par for the course these days, Google has already made the concession to Apple and added anti-tracking for Android but the issue here seems to be Apple dragging its feet intentionally to provide this protection for Google-compatible devices. Of course the problem could be entirely internal to Google, but who knows.

    I expect there will be decent, cheap trackers compatible with the Google FMD network if it ever launches, but it's not as though you could use an Apple-compatible tracker with an Android phone.
     
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    comadose

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  • #10
    Nevarre said:
    That's not what I understand the hold up to be, but it's confusing due to similar naming.

    Google's Find My Device (FMD) is a distinct network much like Samsung's network of devices and the Tile network of devices, but it's not Apple's FindMy.

    What they want is for Apple phones to detect when a tracker that's not linked to the phone starts following the device around-- the anti-stalker feature basically. Google added support for Apple's FindMy standard such that if an AirTag or compatible device starts following an Android phone around, the Android phone will alert you that you might be being stalked and then you can start searching for whatever might be tracking you if that's the case. Google doesn't want to get sued if someone slips a Google tracker into the personal effects of someone who has an iPhone and then later goes and does them harm.

    As seems to be par for the course these days, Google has already made the concession to Apple and added anti-tracking for Android but the issue here seems to be Apple dragging its feet intentionally to provide this protection for Google-compatible devices. Of course the problem could be entirely internal to Google, but who knows.

    I expect there will be decent, cheap trackers compatible with the Google FMD network if it ever launches, but it's not as though you could use an Apple-compatible tracker with an Android phone.
    Click to expand...

    That's it. Google created an open standard for trackers, so that any device that supports it can detect trackers and show basic information like how to disable them. Android had supported it for a while.

    Apple are being dicks by not releasing it for iOS, and Google isn't willing to do what they did and hand stalkers the perfect tool for abuse.
     
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    Vintage Geek

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  • #13
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