Google has an Apple AirTag rival; This is how location tracking device will find lost items

Google may launch its Apple AirTag rival location tracking device for lost items. Here’s everything that you need to know.

Google will roll out its own location tracker to detect lost devices. Here’s how it will work. (Unsplash)

When it comes to a device to detect lost items, Apple AirTag comes to mind the most. But this monopoly may end soon as Google is reportedly planning to launch its own Bluetooth location tracker. This report about the AirTag alternative comes from leakster Kuba Wojciechowski, who says Google is planning to bring an object-finding tool, named Grogu, similar to Apple's AirTag. It was also suggested that the Google tracker may arrive at Google I/O 2023. "Grogu, which is alternatively known as "groguaudio" or "GR10" is currently in development by the Nest team, although that doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna launch under Nest," the leakster tweeted.

It also suggests that Google tracker will get some features of Apple AirTag such as onboard speakers for emitting sounds from lost devices. It is also expected to pack both UWB (Ultra-wideband) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity. UWB enables incredibly precise (compared to Bluetooth) ranging, which allows for accurate distance estimation as well as support for showing directions to the tag (or any other UWB-enabled device). Apart from this, it is also mentioned that Bluetooth Low Energy will be enough and it would help open it up to current devices, rather than just new ones. It should come in a few different colours.

The leakster also mentioned that Google is currently working with multiple chipset manufacturers to bring support for the new Fast Pair-based technology to their products to enable OEMs to develop their own trackers without much hassle. Even though Google's tracker most likely has UWB, it's not a requirement for the "Finder Network" they're working on - BLE is enough.

Launch of Google's location tracker

There's no specific date to launch yet. “I don't have any information regarding the release timeframe of the tag, but if I had to guess I'd say Google's gonna announce the technology at Google I/O and then launch it at the annual fall event, alongside new Google Pixel devices,” the leakster revealed.