Google’s upcoming developer conference, Google I/O 2024, is scheduled to start on May 14, 2024.

At this conference, the company is expected to showcase its upcoming Android 15, new features and tools for existing Google products, and additional AI features that it plans to bring for its future devices.

Android 15 To Help Find Lost Devices Even If They Are Offline

One of the highly speculated and rumored features of the forthcoming Android 15 update is the ability to track lost devices even when they are switched off — an exciting development that would enhance device security and improve privacy protections. In other words, users will still be able to locate their lost phones even when they have been turned off.

According to the latest findings from Android Police, this new feature is designed to work similarly to Apple’s Find My network. This network enables users to locate their powered-off devices using Bluetooth beacon signaling by leveraging nearby compatible devices as relays and reporting the location of the missing phone back to the owner.

Currently, ‘Find My Device,’ Google’s own tracking software, can track Android devices that are networked on and connected to the Internet. The addition of offline device tracking would significantly increase the usefulness of the ‘Find My Device’ feature and help users locate their lost devices in dire situations.

If all the rumors are true, Android 15 might bring the offline device tracking feature to new phones like the Google Pixel 9, potentially extending it to Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro models. However, it is important to note that the implementation of offline tracking requires specific hardware engineering for powering a Bluetooth controller when the phone is turned off; otherwise, the feature won’t work.

Keep watching this space for more updates, as this is a developing story!