Following the leak that Google’s “Find My Device” network settings were already appearing for some Android users, it looks like Google is ready to move to the next step. A small subset of users has already received an email that lets the cat out of the bag on when exactly the service would be officially launching.
An email blast was sent last night to some users which included some official information on when the “Find My Device” network would be launching to the masses. Although the settings began to appear yesterday on Android devices for some users with the beta version of Google Play Services installed, the settings weren’t actually working. Now, it looks like we have a more accurate timeline on when the switch will be flipped.
The email contained the following verbiage: “You’ll get a notification on your Android devices when this feature is turned on in 3 days. Until then, you can opt out of the network through Find My Device on the web.” Based on the date the email was sent, it’s looking like the service will likely launch on Monday, April 8th, as it is unlikely for Google to launch a new service over the weekend.
In case you are out of the loop, last year, Google unveiled the Android Find My Device network to assist users in locating lost or stolen smartphones. However, concerns about stalking using tracking devices such as AirTags prompted Google and Apple to collaborate on a solution, delaying the launch of the Find My Device network. Now, with Apple getting ready to deliver these new anti-stalking features with the iOS 17.5 update, Google no longer has to wait.
Considering that this email was only received by a very small number of users, it is possible it was never meant to be sent out. We don’t know if this means that the launch date on the email is incorrect, or if someone just pressed “send” by mistake. Either way, we are excited to see this finally come to pass and a proper “Find My Device” network finally be put in place for Android users.