Google’s ‘Find My Device’ Update: Track Friends & Family in Real-Time with New ‘People’ Feature

Google recently introduced a new 'People' function to its Find My Device app, which allows users to see the real-time location of approved contacts.  This update, part of the March Pixel Drop, allows users to see friends and relatives on a map, along with information such as their address, distance, and last updated time.  

The feature effortlessly connects with Google's location-sharing services to provide a unified view within the Find My Device app. Users may now not only find their own missing devices, but also monitor contacts who have given them access to their location. This function improves convenience, making it easier to keep in touch with loved ones.  

To access the People tab, users must update the Find My Device software. Once updated, consumers can view a list of contacts who share their locations and even adjust their own location-sharing preferences. Google has emphasized privacy and security, allowing users to control who sees their location and for how long, with regular reminders to protect privacy.  

This update makes Google's Find My Device more compatible with Apple's Find My app, which provides similar functions.The software, which was first released as Android Device Manager in 2015, was rebranded Find My Device in 2017 and has already had over 740 million downloads on the Play Store.  

Google has also added AI-powered scam detection in Android 15, which analyzes texts in real time to identify potential fraud and inform users. With these improvements, Google continues to strengthen security and connectivity throughout its ecosystem.