Google works tirelessly to offer the best services for its Android system. The latest functionality that users have been able to discover is related to the “Find my device” function, Now you can find your lost device even without having the terminal connected. Although it may cause concern to some users, this functionality is very interesting, let's see how it works.
Some users can now enjoy the new Android functionality
Google's "Find My Device" feature has been available on Android for several years. This feature basically allows you Find any Google device quickly by accessing the last known location of the lost device.
This feature is not new but some of the users with access to the beta version 24.12.14 of Google Play Service have found the "Find my device" function on their Android terminals with the possibility of Find your lost device even if it is turned off.
In order to enjoy this security feature when you have access to the functionality, you will need to have Google location history activated on your mobile so that Google can use location history to find the last known location of your device . And in addition to this, as this function was already announced at Google I/O 2023, you will be able to connect third-party trackers to your Android device to help you find your lost device.
The functionality to find your device is still in the process of testing and development, so it is expected to be available to all Android users in not too long. Nevertheless We will still have to wait for its development to be definitively completed. and it begins to be deployed to all compatible Android terminals.
Now this "Find My Device" is not without criticism, especially due to the possibility of this personal information being stolen by other users.
Concern about possible loss of privacy
When we access the Android “Find My Device” service We accept conditions for Google to collect data about your device. This data has to do with your current location, terminal model or IP address.
Although this data is used to provide a solution when our phone is lost or stolen, Google may share this data with third parties, such as service providers and other entities. So if this information is leaked or misused, could compromise your privacy and security.
At least, we know that Google is no stranger to this and they work to prevent this from happening. Specifically, Google has managed to incorporate a function to detect unwanted tracking on Android. This functionality provides extra security and it can notify you when someone unknown accesses your data. But apart from this Google solution, you can improve the protection of your account.
The quickest solution we can imagine to prevent our account from being compromised is change the account password to a more secure one. And if you have had a strong password for some time you should change it. And of course, do not use the same passwords for all your accesses since if one of your accounts is compromised, the rest will also be compromised.