Google Find Hub Adds Left-Behind Alerts, Five Years After AirTag
Google is rolling out a "Notify when left behind" alert in Find Hub for Bluetooth trackers. Apple has offered it since 2021, but earbuds are not covered yet.
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giftdetect· the right gift in minutesGoogle is rolling out a separation alert in its Find Hub app (Localiser in French). It notifies you when you walk away from an item fitted with a Bluetooth tracker. Apple has offered the same feature since 2021, and Samsung already has it on Galaxy devices, but Google's version has a notable gap for now: earbuds are not supported.
Until now, Find Hub could only tell you where your keys were after you noticed they were missing. Version 3.1.787-06 of the app adds an option called "Notify when left behind", which sends an alert as soon as a tracker is separated from your phone. It appeared on November 5 on Chipolo trackers and Motorola's Moto Tag, for users in both the US and Europe.
How it works
To avoid a flood of alerts whenever you leave home without your bag, the home address saved in your Google account, the one used by Google Maps, is excluded by default. The option is set tracker by tracker. In Find Hub, select the tracker, tap the gear icon at the top right of the panel at the bottom of the screen, then enable the new option in the dedicated section. The rollout is gradual, and if the option is missing, updating Find Hub from the Play Store may be enough.
Apple and Samsung are ahead
Apple introduced separation alerts with iOS 15 in 2021 for AirTags, its own devices and compatible third-party accessories on its Find My network. Most recent AirPods are covered too. Samsung's "Notify when left behind" option in Samsung Find and SmartThings Find works with Galaxy SmartTags, but also Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch and the S Pen Pro.
Google's option does not appear for other device types linked to Find Hub, such as earbuds. If you leave Bluetooth earbuds on a table, your Android phone will stay silent, unless you use a Samsung phone with Galaxy Buds.
More changes look to be on the way. Release notes for Google Play services (version 26.39) mention a new tracker setup flow that lets you pick a category such as bike, luggage or wallet, rename the item and configure left-behind reminders during first setup. Google also promises NFC support, to show a tracker's settings or identify a lost tracker by tapping it with your phone. That will depend on hardware, and Google's own Pixel Tag has no NFC chip.
Apps worth a look
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giftdetect: the right gift in minutesPick who it is for, the occasion and their personality. The search engine reads product descriptions from local shops and ranks what fits. Free, no sign-up.
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