Android Police reports that Android 15's Powered Off Finding API will be available on the full range of Google Pixel 8 series and Google Pixel 9

One of the biggest complaints about Android phones is the relatively limited scope of the Find My Device network compared to Apple Android phones currently allow devices to send and receive pings to each other via Bluetooth in order to locate a lost phone However, most devices can only contribute when they are powered on

However, the Android 15 update aims to introduce a Powered Off Finding API, which will allow devices to store pre-calculated Bluetooth beacons in the Bluetooth controller's memory These pre-computed beacons can use special hardware to find the phone even when it is powered off The only reported limitation is that the devices require some reserve power to use this feature

Reports indicate that older Google Pixel models require Android 15 to be downloaded in order to use this feature However, this is only available on the Google Pixel 8, Google Pixel 8 Pro, and the upcoming Google Pixel 8a According to reports, older models such as the Google Pixel 7 and Pixel Fold cannot use the Powered Off Finding API However, it is unclear whether this is due to hardware or software limitations

Finding powered-off devices is nothing new, as Apple's "Find My" has been available for some time However, it remains an additional feature that brings peace of mind to users Some questions still need to be answered Namely, how much power does the device need to have in order to function, and how accurate is the location information?

Rumors of Android 15 have been relatively quiet, but the update seems to be more focused on improving quality of life than anything dramatic The update will reportedly allow users to disable tactile feedback on the keyboard and easily replace Bluetooth devices There are also rumors that Android 15 will be able to force apps to appear full screen

A release date for Android 15 has not yet been set, but it will likely be announced at Google I/O 2024, which opens on May 14 Check the Android 15 hub for updates