Android’s Find My Device adds real-time ‘People’ location sharing

The March Pixel Feature Drop has brought a ton of new features! One of which is an expansion of Android’s Find My Device network, moving beyond tracking down your gadgets to now include real-time people sharing. This update integrates a “People” tab into the Find My Device app, currently in beta, effectively mirroring and consolidating features previously exclusive to Google Maps.

This new functionality presents a straightforward map view, displaying the locations of friends and family who have chosen to share their whereabouts. Below the map, a list organizes these contacts, detailing their proximity and location, with filters to distinguish between those sharing with you and those you are sharing with. And initiating location sharing is pretty simple; a floating action button allows users to select a sharing duration and choose recipients, with link-based sharing also available.

And if you’re wondering about privacy concerns, Google emphasizes that digital protections are in place. Google says, “Location data is safely stored and you decide who sees your location and for how long — with regular reminders about the people you’re sharing with.”

While the underlying technology is powered by Google Maps, this update consolidates essential location-sharing features into a single, easily accessible app. Instead of jumping between Google Maps and Find My Device, they can now manage both device and people location sharing within one interface. This update comes after Google revamped the entire Find My Device network last year.

I do wonder if this expansion may necessitate a re-evaluation of the “Find My Device” app name, as its scope now extends beyond merely finding devices. Maybe “Google Find” or “Google Connect?” Let me know in the comments below what you think it should be called!