Google overhauled Find My Device in 2024. It renamed its device location service to Find Hub and, for the first time, added crowdsourced Bluetooth network tracking support and broader device compatibility on Android.
Many expected this revamped network to be a massive arrival. Likewise, I thought it would easily shake up rival platforms like Apple’s Find My and Samsung’s SmartThings.
But after thoroughly testing it under my belt, I found that Google’s initiative fell short of those high expectations. It needs much more than just a fresh coat of paint to win me over.
The platform needs to fix several glaring issues before it can convince me it is a truly viable alternative to established location services.
Google Find Hub trivia
Trivia challenge
Think you know Google’s tracking network inside and out? Put your Find Hub knowledge to the test.
FeaturesHistoryDevicesPrivacyNetworks
What was Google Find Hub previously called before its rebrand in 2025?
Correct! Google rebranded Find My Device to Find Hub in 2025, giving it a fresh identity and expanded scope. The rename signaled Google’s ambition to grow the platform beyond just finding phones.
Not quite — the answer is Google Find My Device. Google rebranded it to Find Hub in 2025 as part of a push to expand the platform’s capabilities and device ecosystem.
What technology do Android devices primarily use to help locate nearby lost items through the Find Hub network?
That’s right! Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is the backbone of Find Hub’s crowdsourced network. Nearby Android devices passively detect BLE signals from lost trackers and securely relay their location back to the owner.
The correct answer is Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). It’s ideal for this use case because it consumes very little power, allowing millions of Android devices to passively participate in the network without draining their batteries.
Which tracker brand was among the first to launch tags compatible with Google’s Find Hub network at its broader rollout?
Correct! Chipolo was one of the launch partners for Google’s Find Hub tracker ecosystem. Their CARD Point and ONE Point tags were among the first third-party devices certified to work with the network.
The answer is Chipolo. While Tile is a well-known tracker brand, it operates its own separate network. Chipolo partnered with Google early on to launch Find Hub-compatible tags alongside the platform’s broader rollout.
What privacy protection does Find Hub use to prevent bad actors from tracking people without consent?
Spot on! Find Hub alerts Android users if an unknown tracker appears to be traveling with them. This anti-stalking feature was developed in coordination with Apple, who implemented a similar system for AirTags.
The correct answer is unwanted tracker alerts. Find Hub notifies users if an unfamiliar Bluetooth tracker seems to be following them, a safety feature Google and Apple collaboratively standardized to combat potential stalking misuse.
What feature allows Find Hub users to locate a lost device even when it is not connected to the internet?
Correct! Find Hub can locate offline devices by leveraging a crowdsourced network of hundreds of millions of Android phones. When a nearby device detects your lost item’s Bluetooth signal, it anonymously relays the location to Google’s servers.
The right answer is offline device finding via the crowdsourced network. Even without an active internet connection, your lost device can be spotted by other Android users’ phones nearby, which securely and anonymously report its location.
Which of the following item types was added as a supported category in Find Hub to go beyond phones and tablets?
Right! Find Hub expanded to support everyday items like luggage, keys, and bags through compatible third-party Bluetooth tags. This brought it in line with Apple’s Find My network, which has supported accessories for years.
The answer is luggage and keys via third-party tags. Find Hub grew beyond Google’s own devices to let users track everyday belongings using certified Bluetooth trackers from partner brands like Chipolo and Pebblebee.
Approximately how many Android devices form the backbone of the Find Hub crowdsourced location network?
Impressive! Google’s network benefits from over a billion active Android devices worldwide, making it one of the largest crowdsourced location networks on the planet. This massive scale gives Find Hub exceptional coverage in most populated areas.
The correct answer is over 1 billion. Android’s enormous global install base gives Find Hub a significant advantage in coverage density, potentially surpassing even Apple’s Find My network in sheer number of participating devices.
What cross-platform standard did Google and Apple jointly develop to improve Bluetooth tracker safety across both ecosystems?
Correct! Google and Apple co-developed the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers (DULT) specification, which was later submitted to the IETF as an industry standard. It ensures that both Android and iOS can warn users about suspicious trackers regardless of brand.
The answer is Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers, or DULT. This specification was jointly created by Google and Apple and submitted to the IETF, setting a cross-platform standard so both Android and iPhone users receive consistent protection from rogue Bluetooth trackers.
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Its accuracy needs to be improved
I often end up guessing the exact location
Before Google’s new crowdsource network arrived, I was already relying on third-party smart Bluetooth trackers that I set up with Samsung SmartThings.
I kept close tabs on my motorcycle, car, and wallet. I also attached them to my baggage for both local and international trips.
I was curious to put Google’s new network to the test, so when the new Xiaomi Tag launched earlier this year, I grabbed a set of four.
I have been rigorously testing them in the real world for quite some time now.
With the Xiaomi Tag, I can set up these smart devices directly on Google’s network. However, other makers like Motorola and Chipolo have their own companion apps that offer more customization options and features. I genuinely like this open design and the flexibility it provides.
On the Find Hub, the new interface is also fast, straightforward, and loaded with all the basic tools you need. However, during my testing, the accuracy left much to be desired.
In one instance, I compared the Xiaomi Tag against a standalone GPS vehicle tracker that relies on cellular triangulation.
The GPS tracker proved far more accurate, pinpointing the car to within just meters in a crowded mall parking lot.
Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Tag’s location veered wildly off course. It showed my vehicle over 1,000 feet away in a completely different area.
Considering this was a crowded space with plenty of devices around, I expected Google’s network to show a much smaller margin of error.
This was not just an isolated case. I wanted to see which network performed better in a head-to-head test between Google’s Find Hub and Apple’s Find My.
I paired another tag with Apple’s network and placed both trackers in the same room.
While both were registered in the general vicinity, the tag connected to Apple’s network was more accurate, placing it just a few meters from the actual location.
The Xiaomi Tag on Google’s network lagged behind, placing the location several meters further off the actual mark.
Despite there being considerably more Android phones present in the area at the time, I suspect this discrepancy comes down to Google’s privacy approach.
Google limits offline location sharing on devices to high-traffic areas as the default aggregation setting, rather than forcing every Android device to constantly contribute.
Because of this, Google is prioritizing a balanced privacy control for its users. There is also the option to completely disable location sharing on offline devices.
Still, there are instances where the location accuracy is incredibly reliable and spot-on. But it is simply not a guaranteed hit, even in places with massive crowds or high foot traffic.
Even if you opt for nearby finding via playing a sound or UWB (ultra-wideband) tracking, narrowing down the exact location is difficult if the initial ping is meters away.
I really want to see Google leverage the true advantage of its massive, crowdsourced Android network if it expects this to be a reliable service.
A major security flaw Google hasn’t fixed
Anyone can change ownership of your tracker
Another major flaw I have to point out is a massive deciding factor for my daily carry. I will not fully trust my gear with Google until it addresses the missing security features against stolen tags and physical tampering.
Apple has a much better implementation in its Find My ecosystem, especially with the AirTag 2. It is almost 100% impossible to unpair a tag that doesn’t belong to you.
Unless you actively remove it from your Apple account, the tag remains locked down and practically useless to a thief.
With the Xiaomi Tag, I tried factory resetting it while it was still connected to my Pixel 9 Pro XL on a specific Google account.
It only took a few physical presses on the tag before I successfully transferred ownership to a Xiaomi 15T on a different account.
This glaring lapse undermines the main purpose of location tracking if Google cannot provide a proper safeguard. Bad actors and thieves can immediately disable your tag, or someone who finds your lost item can easily remove your linked account.
Sure, the tag costs about a tenner or less, but imagine the potential for millions of smart tags to be disabled. I sincerely hope this vulnerability will be addressed in future updates.
I would also love to see Google make it mandatory for smart tag brands to enable hardware anti-tampering features similar to those of the AirTag 2 and Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2.
Location history tracking should have been an option
Showing trails would make Find Hub more useful and reliable
One of my absolute favorite features of Samsung’s SmartThings is its support for location history tracking, often called breadcrumbs or trails.
Even with a cheap third-party tag, Samsung’s app shows me the last recorded points where the tag has been throughout the day.
I can easily access route data from the past several days or even weeks, depending on the set limit.
It is an incredibly useful tool when you want to track where your pet has wandered off to during the afternoon.
It is also vital if you need to locate a stolen item, map the route of a missing vehicle, or retrace your steps after hiking.
Location history shows your actual past routes, not just the last pinged location. Google likely omits this breadcrumb trail specifically for privacy reasons, aiming to prevent the network from being abused by stalkers.
However, I firmly believe it should still be an opt-in feature for users who explicitly want and need that data.
Google needs to add more basic functionality
It misses some important capabilities
A very basic feature currently missing from Find Hub is the ability to easily ring your phone using your tracker. You cannot activate a gesture on the Xiaomi Tag, or most other native tags, to make your paired smartphone or tablet ring.
Instead, the functionality is strictly limited to the one-way ringing of a lost tracker from your phone.
While devices from Motorola and Pebble support this two-way ringing, you are forced to use their proprietary apps to do it. So if this is the case, it’s likely that more users will use the companion apps and fewer will use Find Hub.
Additionally, other crowdsourced Bluetooth tracking apps offer proactive notifications when you leave a tag outside your home or office.
Google’s network doesn’t support these separation alerts just yet, which is a missed opportunity for avoiding lost items in the first place. Apple has had this capability on Find My for years, so it’s quite boggling that Google hasn’t adopted this.
As with the reverse-ring feature, you currently have to rely on the companion apps to receive these basic alerts.
I feel this approach makes the overall platform feel fragmented rather than creating a unified and cohesive tracking experience.
Sure, Google has made a massive stride in finally giving Android its own crowdsourced tracking network.
But having a new moniker and wider support simply isn’t enough to beat the established networks. The platform needs far more than surface-level polish to convince me it’s a better alternative.
Ultimately, I want to see Google drastically improve Android’s baseline location tracking, implement rigid anti-tampering security, and give users more granular options.
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- Brand
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MOTOROLA
- Material
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PLASTIC
- Connectivity
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BLUETOOTH, UWB
- Battery
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UP TO 1 YEAR, USER-REPLACEABLE CR2032
- Water Resistance
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IP67
The Motorola Moto Tag is one of the reliable and feature-packed smart Bluetooth trackers for Android users.
