Google's Find My Device support is delayed and it's all Apple's fault

Google has announced that it is delaying the expansion of its Find My Device feature while it waits for Apple to get its ducks in a row for iPhone users.

The Find My Device network, similar to Apple's Find My, is designed to help people locate missing devices and items. They could be headphones or wallets thanks to the addition of AirTag-like item trackers, but Google says that it won't roll anything out until Apple is ready to ensure that people can't use Find My Device accessories to track people.

Google made the announcement in a blog post discussing other item tracker changes including the rolling out of anti-stalking features aimed specifically at Apple's AirTags. Now Google appears to have decided that it won't add new devices to the world, via its Find My Device network, until Apple is ready for iOS to also have similar protection in place.

The protections Google wants will allow iPhone owners to be warned if an unknown Find My Device accessory is moving with them. If that's the case it's possible that the tracker is being used to stalk them, and protections need to be in place to help make them aware.

Google isn't saying when we can expect the Find My Device network to be able to go live, but it now seems that we're waiting for Apple to do its part. This news sounds as if Google is now trying to put pressure on Apple to do just that, although it's likely to late for it to be rolled into the expected September release of IOS 17.