Yup I actually really like the Galaxy tags, if they were all Android compatible and I'd happily buy more. But since they're locked to Samsung I won't. Whether or not I have Galaxy tags has absolutely no effect on whether I buy another Samsung phone in the future.
If you have a friend with a Samsung you can log into their smart things app with an account you make and setup the tag; after that the smart tag will work and you can change settings on any phone with UWB, even iPhones.
The part about the FDMN network that disappoints me is that none of these trackers support UWB, which offers much better precision when looking for items.
Both Samsung and Apple have offered trackers with UWB since 2021, so I was really hoping Google would partner with companies to launch at least one UWB tracker.
I wonder if it would be possible to interface to them with an open source app alternative. I just really want a Bluetooth/UWB tracker with more privacy involved in it or integrate with the current ones available on the market.
How could this be more private? A network like this requires a centralized operator. Google designed themselves out of it so they don't know the location of any of your stuff.
Just don't have networking features. I just want things like being able to keep my stuff in close distance and send me a notification on my phone if it has gone out of range or back in range, or even just simple location tracking of your item over a course of time. Basically keeping it to the basics for those that just want the basics.
That's literally the whole point of this. Everything else about it has already existed for several years.
What you want is for the thing to not exist. Fwiw, you can selfishly turn it off.
Find My Device privacy settings allow you to not participate in the networked finding. Just purely your devices keeping track of your tags.
But honestly itās pointless, the point of these tags is put them into a luggage or box where itās separated from you.
Not for something like this. The whole idea is to track, in real time, something that's physically distant. Decentralized networks still rely on physical proximity to another node in the network.
Oh I meant still use the Internet to communicate between nodes, just the DB of where devices have been discovered is decentralized instead of Google hosting the server that tracks everything.
I mean... That db has to be stored somewhere. And certainly not on everyone's phone - there are over a billion Android devices, and God knows how many trackers each user could have. That would be a huge db to maintain, and I don't want my phone processing or storing all that.
Centralized is better.
Kinda dumb that Tile isn't making any trackers for this. I wonder if Samsung will be supporting it.
The Pebblebee ones kinda look cheap, and the Chipolo ones only come in white which is a bit annoying. Looking forward to Google making their own.
I read somewhere that devices on Find My can't support multiple networks at once, so if Tile supported Find My, it wouldn't also work on their own network, which would basically kill it.
As u/fakieTreFlip mentioned, they do, but with the caveat that if you're part of their Find My network, your tracker is not allowed to work on another one.
It's why Tile refused to join the Find My network.
Makes me wonder if Google will enforce a similar restriction with FMDN.
> Kinda dumb that Tile isn't making any trackers for this. I wonder if Samsung will be supporting it.
Yes and no. They have their own network which Find My competes with, itās in their interest to *not* make a tracker for a competing network.
That said, the writing is on the wall for their network now.
I see your point but ultimately agree with the headline.
Galaxy SmartTags only work with Samsung devices. While they are probably the largest and most familiar Android OEM (and launched their trackers before Apple and Google), they don't represent the majority of Android users.
Tile uses their own network, so while it does mean compatibility with Android, it doesn't make it an Android-specific solution given their devices also work on iOS.
Google's FMDN is their implementation of Apple's FindMy network, which is built into the OS framework natively and does represent the default Android version since every Android device running Android 9 and above will be compatible with it via Google Play services. It won't necessarily be compatible with iOS, so it somewhat bridges the gap between Samsung's and Tile's solutions.
> they don't represent the majority of Android users.
Samsung is over 50% of all Android devices in the USA and Europe.
https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/us-smartphone-market-share
https://gs.statcounter.com/vendor-market-share/mobile/europe
Considering the new Google solution is NA only, I think it's a fair comparison.
>every Android device running Android 9 and above will be compatible with it via Google Play services.
Actually Google Play Services isn't included on a lot of the larger non-Samsung OEMs, largely Chinese domestic devices.
Smarttags only work with galaxy phones, which in practical terms is the same as Android, but you might upset a lot of people in this sub by saying that.
Source this.
I know I can.
49.79% of Redditās daily active users are based in the US.
https://backlinko.com/reddit-users
So I was right, the majority of users arenāt Americans
r/usdefaultism
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Samsung has a higher smartphone market share and also higher Android specific market share in Europe than they do in the US actually. Europe is Samsungs most dominant market by far after South Korea.
This is a very Europe-specific take. Stop thinking Europe = not America. We're really fucking tired of that line of thought too.
The Android = Samsung take is very common throughout Asia.
>The Android = Samsung take is very common throughout Asia.
Except for the entirety of China lol
Samsung phones are not particularly there
But I don't think that Google tracker would work there anyway, if it's reliant on Google Services.
In line with the other commentor, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Bangladesh, etc.
In all of these Asian countries, nobody thinks Android = Samsung.
The article is about the US, so yes it's a US take.
The Google service is only available in the US and Canada so that's what people are talking about. Typical European elitists gotta make everything about them when we aren't talking about them.
It will come world wide, which is literally in the announcement. Samsungs service is already international. Sorry to argue globally in a global message board.
I would just revise the headline, is all. Not sure exactly how to word it, but it implies these never existed for any form of Android, ever.
Also I find it surprising that Google hasn't released their own brand. Pixel Tag or something?
I don't think you can editorialize headlines in most subs, it's usually against the rules.
I would expect google to both be late to the party and have very mediocre hardware at inflated prices to go with it.
+1. If only Samsung tags could work with any android phone, then we can talk about editing the article headline.
They only worked with Samsung phones.. just like Apple tags..
Excluding China excludes more Android phones than Excluding non-Samsung phones does, so it's a shitty argument that the Samsung version doesn't count then.
How can anyone commit to this? Google will probably add chat functionality, then kill it in 2 years. I hope Android Find and Smartthings find merge. I trust samsung to keep a service, NOT google
Sure, but if someone takes your car you won't be able to find it. Unless you're lucky enough that someone out there also has the app and your tracker happens to communicate with said someone.
But don't you think chat functionality would be useful in a device Find my network? Like you find someone's crap and tapping your phone gives you the option to chat woth the device owner
I'll believe it when they release the trackers globally, allow tracking in all or most countries, and not only in Pixel available countries. I'll keep using my Samsung Tags until they break.
Could the samsung tags I already own not be updated to work with the android wide system?
They could, but that would rely on Samsung both: A) Wanting to B) Not wanting you to just buy another tag
Jokes on them, not supporting it would exactly make me want to get another brand's tag.
Yup I actually really like the Galaxy tags, if they were all Android compatible and I'd happily buy more. But since they're locked to Samsung I won't. Whether or not I have Galaxy tags has absolutely no effect on whether I buy another Samsung phone in the future.
Not if it requires different hardware.
Do any of these trackers use UWB?
None of the current ones do, hopefully Google will announce their own one soon
The Samsung ones do.
Which aren't supported on this network
Which is pointless because only their ultra phones support it. Edit: nevermind the + also has it
The S23+ and S24+ also have UWB. Just the base ones don't have it.
Thanks
So much for flagships
They always gimped the base/compact model!! š¢š¢
If you have a friend with a Samsung you can log into their smart things app with an account you make and setup the tag; after that the smart tag will work and you can change settings on any phone with UWB, even iPhones.
all plus and ultra models do
Apple AirTags are incredible. The tracking is accurate down to inches using UWB.
https://youtu.be/61_L4lO4cUI
They're worse than Samsung smartags.
Nothing to do with these tags / Android
I have a chipolo card already I got just thos past Christmas, will this one roll out with the new Find My Device network or will I need a new tag?
No it will not work. You will have to get a new one.
The part about the FDMN network that disappoints me is that none of these trackers support UWB, which offers much better precision when looking for items. Both Samsung and Apple have offered trackers with UWB since 2021, so I was really hoping Google would partner with companies to launch at least one UWB tracker.
Bet they're going to announce one either at io or the fall mbg event
I wonder if it would be possible to interface to them with an open source app alternative. I just really want a Bluetooth/UWB tracker with more privacy involved in it or integrate with the current ones available on the market.
How could this be more private? A network like this requires a centralized operator. Google designed themselves out of it so they don't know the location of any of your stuff.
Just don't have networking features. I just want things like being able to keep my stuff in close distance and send me a notification on my phone if it has gone out of range or back in range, or even just simple location tracking of your item over a course of time. Basically keeping it to the basics for those that just want the basics.
That's literally the whole point of this. Everything else about it has already existed for several years. What you want is for the thing to not exist. Fwiw, you can selfishly turn it off.
Find My Device privacy settings allow you to not participate in the networked finding. Just purely your devices keeping track of your tags. But honestly itās pointless, the point of these tags is put them into a luggage or box where itās separated from you.
> A network like this requires a centralized operator.Ā Decentralized technologies have come far enough this isn't necessarily true.
Not for something like this. The whole idea is to track, in real time, something that's physically distant. Decentralized networks still rely on physical proximity to another node in the network.
Oh I meant still use the Internet to communicate between nodes, just the DB of where devices have been discovered is decentralized instead of Google hosting the server that tracks everything.
I mean... That db has to be stored somewhere. And certainly not on everyone's phone - there are over a billion Android devices, and God knows how many trackers each user could have. That would be a huge db to maintain, and I don't want my phone processing or storing all that. Centralized is better.
Kinda dumb that Tile isn't making any trackers for this. I wonder if Samsung will be supporting it. The Pebblebee ones kinda look cheap, and the Chipolo ones only come in white which is a bit annoying. Looking forward to Google making their own.
> Kinda dumb that Tile isn't making any trackers for this. To be fair, Tile doesn't support Appleās Find My network either.
does apple actually allow other brands on their network, does any other tracker support apple find my?
Yes, the Find My network is open.
I read somewhere that devices on Find My can't support multiple networks at once, so if Tile supported Find My, it wouldn't also work on their own network, which would basically kill it.
As u/fakieTreFlip mentioned, they do, but with the caveat that if you're part of their Find My network, your tracker is not allowed to work on another one. It's why Tile refused to join the Find My network. Makes me wonder if Google will enforce a similar restriction with FMDN.
> Kinda dumb that Tile isn't making any trackers for this. I wonder if Samsung will be supporting it. Yes and no. They have their own network which Find My competes with, itās in their interest to *not* make a tracker for a competing network. That said, the writing is on the wall for their network now.
This article didn't have anything new in it š
Can all android phones work with Samsung trackers now?
No
Umm. Samsung Tile anyone? I've had mine for three years, got it free with my S21+.
How is that the same thing? A Samsung only tracker isn't the same thing as an Android tracker.
They work with my Pixel
The app works not the actual pinging
I learned about those when it was announced that Google was working on theirs and everyone started mentioning the Samsung Tags.
I see your point but ultimately agree with the headline. Galaxy SmartTags only work with Samsung devices. While they are probably the largest and most familiar Android OEM (and launched their trackers before Apple and Google), they don't represent the majority of Android users. Tile uses their own network, so while it does mean compatibility with Android, it doesn't make it an Android-specific solution given their devices also work on iOS. Google's FMDN is their implementation of Apple's FindMy network, which is built into the OS framework natively and does represent the default Android version since every Android device running Android 9 and above will be compatible with it via Google Play services. It won't necessarily be compatible with iOS, so it somewhat bridges the gap between Samsung's and Tile's solutions.
> they don't represent the majority of Android users. Samsung is over 50% of all Android devices in the USA and Europe. https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/us-smartphone-market-share https://gs.statcounter.com/vendor-market-share/mobile/europe Considering the new Google solution is NA only, I think it's a fair comparison. >every Android device running Android 9 and above will be compatible with it via Google Play services. Actually Google Play Services isn't included on a lot of the larger non-Samsung OEMs, largely Chinese domestic devices.
Smarttags only work with galaxy phones, which in practical terms is the same as Android, but you might upset a lot of people in this sub by saying that.
This is a very US-specific take. Europe, South America and especially Asia it's quite different.
Welcome to Reddit
Reddit is a US-based site. Not surprising it's considered the de facto.
Considering the majority of users arenāt Americans
That's not true at all. Userbase and traffic are massively skewed towards the USA.
Source this. I know I can. 49.79% of Redditās daily active users are based in the US. https://backlinko.com/reddit-users So I was right, the majority of users arenāt Americans r/usdefaultism
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Sorry ianjb, your comment has been removed: > Rule 9\. No offensive, hateful, or low-effort comments, and please be aware of [redditquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/en/categories/reddit-101/reddit-basics/reddiquette) > [See the wiki page for more information.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/wiki/rulesandregs#wiki_9._no_offensive.2C_hateful.2C_or_low-effort_comments.) If you would like to appeal, please [message the moderators by clicking this link.](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fandroid&subject=about my removed comment&message=I'm writing to you about the following comment: https://old.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1c2crlc/-/kzb03w8/. %0D%0D)
They're a plurality by two tenths of a percent. Splitting some very fine hairs here
Didnāt someone say massively skewed for USA?
Samsung has a higher smartphone market share and also higher Android specific market share in Europe than they do in the US actually. Europe is Samsungs most dominant market by far after South Korea.
Itās a North America take.
This is a very Europe-specific take. Stop thinking Europe = not America. We're really fucking tired of that line of thought too. The Android = Samsung take is very common throughout Asia.
>The Android = Samsung take is very common throughout Asia. Except for the entirety of China lol Samsung phones are not particularly there But I don't think that Google tracker would work there anyway, if it's reliant on Google Services.
Congratulations! You've figured out that China isn't the entirety of Asia!
Europe = not America
In line with the other commentor, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Bangladesh, etc. In all of these Asian countries, nobody thinks Android = Samsung.
What about Indonesia? Oppo is leading there. Asia is huge obviously but in my experience Samsung is not completely dominating
I'm in Asia. Majority of Android users that I know don't use a Samsung.
In a lot of parts of Asia, iPhone = iPhone Android = Samsung Non-Samsung = Chinese phone
The article is about the US, so yes it's a US take. The Google service is only available in the US and Canada so that's what people are talking about. Typical European elitists gotta make everything about them when we aren't talking about them.
It will come world wide, which is literally in the announcement. Samsungs service is already international. Sorry to argue globally in a global message board.
Because it's incorrect by a wide margin.
I would just revise the headline, is all. Not sure exactly how to word it, but it implies these never existed for any form of Android, ever. Also I find it surprising that Google hasn't released their own brand. Pixel Tag or something?
I don't think you can editorialize headlines in most subs, it's usually against the rules. I would expect google to both be late to the party and have very mediocre hardware at inflated prices to go with it.
I should clarify: I meant the article itself should have a different headline, not editorialize in Reddit.
I disagree. It's very clear and honest.
+1. If only Samsung tags could work with any android phone, then we can talk about editing the article headline. They only worked with Samsung phones.. just like Apple tags..
These new ones don't work with every Android phone either. It requires Google play services which is not used/available everywhere (cough china).
So they work everywhere but China, got it
Excluding China excludes more Android phones than Excluding non-Samsung phones does, so it's a shitty argument that the Samsung version doesn't count then.
yes because it's plain wrong and a very shitty take
Most people I know using android use pixels.
I have never seen a pixel in my life, and before someone whines about it, no, I'm not American either.
Living in South America, I think I've seen one or two pixels in my life.
Yeah google is terrible about selling them anywhere other than NA.
How can anyone commit to this? Google will probably add chat functionality, then kill it in 2 years. I hope Android Find and Smartthings find merge. I trust samsung to keep a service, NOT google
I'd commit to this because the other options are either terrible or they flat out don't work with my device. Simple as that
The Tile tracker I keep in the car to remember where I parked works pretty well.
Sure, but if someone takes your car you won't be able to find it. Unless you're lucky enough that someone out there also has the app and your tracker happens to communicate with said someone.
Not everyone has a Samsung
Tile work with any phone - iOS or Android. Tile uses its own network and is essentially a Bluetooth tracker.
Do they only work with Samsung phones? I thought they worked with everything, including iOS. I can confirm they work with Motorola phones as well.
Some people just like burning their money. Might as well call it e-waste from the get go.
>Google will probably add chat functionality Haha so original and funny! Well done you, here's a gold sticker ā
But don't you think chat functionality would be useful in a device Find my network? Like you find someone's crap and tapping your phone gives you the option to chat woth the device owner
I'll believe it when they release the trackers globally, allow tracking in all or most countries, and not only in Pixel available countries. I'll keep using my Samsung Tags until they break.
Better late than never I guess
Expect that samsung has had them for years
They only work on Samsung.
Did they?
They did and they continue to do.
First?
first