With Android 15 and a modern device, you can find your phone’s location even when you have the device turned off. An intelligent system of Bluetooth beacons helps with this.

Google is working on a major upgrade for Android 15 Find my device. Today, Google can find your device using the last known location visible on the network. An internet connection and even a switched-on smartphone will no longer be necessary in the future.

Where is (the phone) Frank?

To do this, Google is building a network where Android phones can ping each other in the background via Bluetooth. If Frank lost his phone, he can get through Find my device Ask Google where it is. Google then asks all compatible smartphones whether they have seen Frank’s device. They use Bluetooth to ask nearby devices whether it is Frank’s smartphone. Of course, the response, including any location data, is encrypted. Only Frank can see the location of a possible answer.

Bluetooth beacons are essential to this network. They use very little energy and with the right hardware can stay active even when your device is turned off. In this case, the Bluetooth controller’s memory is programmed with the necessary shutdown information, after which the controller can participate in the search (or can be found) if the battery is not empty.

Android 15

It goes without saying that you need two things: hardware and software. Modern smartphones like Google’s Pixel 8 series have a compatible controller. The software covers Google with Android 15. After upgrading, you can subscribe to it Find my device-Network. This is completely optional, so you don’t have to participate if you have any doubts about the privacy aspects of the system.