Credit: Damien Wilde / Android Authority
- Android 15’s new Powered Off Finder API could allow select devices to be tracked even when switched off.
- This API will allow devices with compatible hardware to continue sending Bluetooth beacons after the Android system is shut down.
- The Google Pixel 9 series could likely come with this feature.
In the big Android vs iOS debate, iPhones do get a slight advantage with a Find My feature that allows your iPhone to be tracked even when switched off. This feature debuted with iOS 15 and is available on iPhone 11 and newer. Samsung Galaxy phones have an offline finding feature through SmartThings Find, but that’s not a perfect equivalent as it doesn’t work if the phone is switched off. Google could be looking to change that with Android 15 by granting the platform the ability to locate phones when they are switched off and not merely disconnected from the internet.
According to a report from Android Police, Android 15 is coming with a new Powered Off Finder API that will allow compatible devices to be tracked even when they are switched off. This is said to likely include the Google Pixel 9 series as well.
