Earlier this year, during May to be precise, Google renamed the Find My Device feature calling it the Find Hub. The hub added satellite connectivity and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) support. UWB tags deliver more precise location data allowing users with a UWB compatible phone to find a lost object much faster. The satellite connectivity allows users to share their location even if they are at a location not covered with a cellular signal.
UWB Precision Finding using UWB makes it easier to find a lost item using the Android Find Hub
The difference between looking for an item connected to a UWB tag and one hitched to a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) tag, or one using crowdsourced networks is huge. UWB delivers precise directions helping you find items that are close by. UWB will show you the exact distance between you and the lost or stolen item you’re looking for. BLE tags will give you the general area where a tagged item is located.
Crowdsourced networks require the use of another Android device to stumble into the area where the missing item is located, pick up the BLE signal, and transmit its GPS location via the cloud. The person tracking the device will then receive a notification showing a map and the location where that vehicle picked up the BLE signal.
Right now, there is only one Find Hub tracker that offers UWB compatibility and that is the Moto Tag. Another issue is that most Android phones don’t support UWB. On the other hand, Google has included UWB with all of its Pixel Pro models dating back to the Pixel 6 Pro. Having said that, the Pixel 6 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro models will not work with the Find Hub’s UWB precsion tracking feature.
Precision finding using the Google Find Hub with UWB capabilities. | Image credit-Google
In case you’re curious, Samsung includes UWB with its “Ultra,” “Plus,” and “Fold models. Motorola also offers UWB support for some of its Android handsets. If you plan on using the Moto Tag to keep track of some of your items, you are going to want a phone equipped with UWB. A Google support page explains, “UWB availability and performance varies by tag and device models with Android 13 and up.”The support page notes that UWB is supported on devices including:
- Pixel 8 series and above (Pro models only)
- Samsung Galaxy S21 and above (Plus and Ultra models only)
- Motorola Edge and Razr
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