Google’s Find My Device Network Launching in a Few Days - 1

Google’s Find My Device Network Launching in a Few Days

  • Written by Shipra Sanganeria Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

The launch of Google’s much anticipated Find My Device network appears to be just around the corner. Announced at Google’s annual developer conference, I/O, in 2023, the feature is believed to be available from today, according to an email discovered by 9to5Google .

The official email of April 4 notified a few users about the impending launch of the feature in the following 3 days. Explaining the functionality of the service, Google said that users will be notified once the feature is enabled and until then, users can opt out of the network through Find My Device on the web.

The tracking, which is akin to the technology used by Apple and Tile, will allow users to locate devices, even if they’re offline. Utilizing millions of Android devices’ data will help users locate not only missing phones but also accessories.

Users “can also find any compatible Fast Pair accessories when they’re disconnected from your device. This includes compatible earbuds and headphones, and trackers that you can attach to your wallet, keys, or bike,” the email cited by 9to5Google reports.

A trial version of the feature “Find your offline devices” was available in the latest Google Play Services beta settings for some users. It takes users to another page with options to locate devices using one of three settings. The options include “without network”, “with the network in high-traffic areas”, or “with the network all of the time”. Users can also choose to turn off the feature entirely.

Although announced in 2023 , the launch was delayed as Google and Apple worked together to ensure proper security measures were in place against unwanted tracking of Android devices using iOS. iOS 17.5 (already in beta testing) includes the security features Google wanted to see, so although there’s no official launch date yet, all arrows point to the Find My Device network being available very soon.

Google Considers Charging Users for AI-Powered Search - 2

Google Considers Charging Users for AI-Powered Search

  • Written by Elijah Ugoh Cybersecurity & Tech Writer
  • Fact-Checked by

Google is considering charging users for premium features on its AI-powered search engine. The Financial Times reported that this would mark the first time in its history that the search engine houses a paywall.

The company has always funded its core services, such as Google Search and Gmail, through advertising. However, the introduction of generative AI and chatbots like ChatGPT is changing the search engine landscape drastically. Removing the need to scroll through a list of websites also removed the space needed to display ads.

Speculators have argued that using generative AI in search results will change Google’s business model, but it’s not clear whether this will yield more profit for the company or not. Google launched its Generative Search Experiment (SGE) last year, allowing only a small subset of US-based users to test the feature.

Since the release of ChatGPT, Google has been trying hard to counter the strong competition posed by the chatbot. With ChatGPT providing direct and detailed answers to queries, it makes a traditional Google search seem inefficient. Why scroll through a list of links to sites that may have relevant answers when ChatGPT can provide the answer without all the fluff?

This is probably why Google’s SGE includes a nice chatbot-like response at the top of search results: providing users with a solid answer and then listing links below that. We’re likely to witness a lot more experimentation in the near future in regard to how search results listings are designed, as Google strives to remain competitive.

It is not yet clear whether or when this update will take effect, but for users who already have access to some of these AI-powered features through Gemini in Gmail, Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Meet, there’s likely going to be a premium version of Google search added to the list soon.

Reportedly, these features will become available in a new Google One AI Premium plan. But, this isn’t confirmed and is only one of many routes Google may take.

“As we’ve done many times before, we’ll continue to build new premium capabilities and services to enhance our subscription offerings across Google,” a spokesperson from Google told The Register when asked about the update. “We don’t have anything to announce right now,” the spokesperson added.