Google has finally unveiled its Find My Device service, which uses a crowdsourced network to discover the location of devices and Bluetooth trackers that may not have internet connection.

Much like iOS’s Find My service, the new network is able to locate smartphones even when they are turned off, or detect trackers attached to key or wallets.

Find My Device comes years after Apple’s service was launched in 2019. It quickly raised several privacy issues arising from the tracking of a user’s exact location without them being notified that they are being tracked. On several occasions, Apple’s AirTags were used for stalking purposes, prompting criticism that the company had not done its due diligence before rolling out the new network.

In its announcement, Google noted that Find My Device was “secure by default and private by design”. It has taken numerous measures to try and avoid the kind of bad press faced by Apple’s alternative soon after launch.

This includes encrypting all location data...