How \'Find My Device\' Works Even When Your Phone Is Switched Off

A few years ago, finding your dead or switched-off device was seemingly impossible. Nowadays, it's possible and even becoming commonplace to locate your phone, even if it's powered off.

Wondering how exactly "Find My Device" works when your smartphone isn't powered on? Well, dive in because it's actually pretty simple.

"Find My Device" Can Leverage Reserve Battery and Special Chips

"Reserve Battery" is often used in automotive applications. These batteries reserve and provide a specific amount of power for a short time after the main battery power runs out. Smartphones don't exactly have a dedicated "reserve capacity" in the same way, but they rely on sophisticated battery management systems (BMS) that offer similar features.

These BMS constantly monitor your battery and prevent it from discharging below a certain threshold. This threshold protects the battery from damage and ensures its optimal performance. However, this protection mechanism can result in some charge remaining even after your phone's battery runs out.

In some smartphones, the BMS enables components like Bluetooth (BT) and ultra-wideband (UBW) to remain active in a low-power state even when the phone is powered off. While the phone is technically switched off, the necessary elements remain active in a low-power state, allowing tracking features to function for a limited period, consuming minimal battery life.

Let's imagine you also use an iPhone (iPhone 11 and above with at least iOS 15.2). After you turn your device off, certain wireless chips remain active in power reserve mode for up to 5 hours, allowing tracking to continue. This design ensures that your iPhone can continue transmitting its location to Apple's Find My Network, a tracking network similar to Google's Find My Device.

Low-power mode capability isn't restricted to iPhones; with the right drivers, chips, and code, you can also find switched-off Android devices. A few premium devices have already integrated this capability. In April 2024, Google announced that the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro could transmit their location to the Find My Device network post-shutdown.

"Find My Device" Uses Crowdsourcing Location-Sharing Systems

Devices with reserve power can transmit accurate location data for as long as their reserved charge lasts. However, devices without specialized chips or reserve battery power can only transmit real-time location data before they are powered off.

Either way, Google's Find My Device, just like Samsung's Find My Mobile and Apple's Find My Network, now uses crowdsourced location data to help you find your devices based on their latest known location.

Find My Device uses nearby devices as reference points. For example, other Android devices or compatible accessories within the vicinity can detect a lost device, providing an approximate location. This system works best in high-traffic areas where multiple devices can aid in triangulating your phone's last recorded position.

Once you enable the “Find your offline devices” feature, your Android phone or tablet (with OS 9 and above) begins participating in the Find My Device network; this feature has been rolling out, starting with Android devices in the U.S. and Canada, since April 2024. The Find My Device network will use your device’s current location if it’s online, its location when it was last online, or a location crowdsourced from other Android devices in the Find My Device network if your device is offline—to help you find your device.

Android devices participating in the Find My Device network use Bluetooth and other technologies to scan for nearby devices. If they detect your Android device, they securely send its location to Find My Device. Your Android device also does the same when it detects other participating devices.

Using this global network of Android devices, Find My Device can work together to locate your devices almost anywhere. You’ll be able to locate your device with the help of other nearby Android devices and accessories, which also have Find Your Offline Devices enabled. You'll only be able to report the locations of devices you come across and access your device's location, not any personally identifiable information (PII) of the participants. Similarly, others won't be able to access your information.

Find My Device employs crowdsourcing when your device is offline. If your device is switched off, it will access its last-recorded location or real-time location data if it's in a low-power state.

The ability to track powered-off devices is set to become more widespread as manufacturers and chipmakers continue to innovate. Premium devices like the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro already support these advanced tracking functionalities, and this trend is likely to continue. Moreover, if you’re concerned about your privacy, you can control your participation in these networks through settings.

The above is the detailed content of How \'Find My Device\' Works Even When Your Phone Is Switched Off. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!