If you're the owner of a Google Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro who finds that they are all too good at losing it, you're going to be in for a treat. Now, both of those phones can be located even when their batteries have run dry.
The new offline tracking feature is made possible thanks to an upgraded Find My Device network with Google saying that it's only made possible thanks to the Pixel hardware that is in its latest devices. There has so far been no information on what that exactly means, however. We can surely expect whatever magic chips are inside these devices to also make an appearance in the upcoming Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro models, not to mention the new Pixel Fold 2 -notably, the Pixel Fold isn't in on the new feature.
If this feature sounds familiar, you probably already have an iPhone or something with a Samsung logo on the back. This technology isn't new, but this is the first time that it's been available to those who have Google's Pixel devices.
The new feature is thanks to an upgrade to the Find My Device network that is now rolling out across the United States and Canada. New item trackers that will hook into the updated network are on the way, and Google has also worked with Apple to ensure that item trackers cannot be easily used to stalk people and property. The AirTag in particular has proven to be a popular tool among those looking to do harm, unfortunately, and the two companies are working to reduce that risk as much as possible.