Google has announced a new tool for Android users that’ll help them track down errant phones bringing the company in line with services already available to iOS and Windows Phone users.
The new Android Device Manager, which will roll out later this month, will allow users to follow their device on a live Map in real time, pinpointing where it was last located to within 20 meters.
So, if you’ve left your Android phone at the supermarket or some thieving so-and-so has stolen it from your person, you’ll be able to locate the device.
Users will be able to command the device to ring at maximum volume, so if the phone is simply hiding under a pile of dirty laundry, you should be able to track it down.
If something more sinister is going on you’ll also have the option to remote wipe the device from a website, protecting all of your important data from those who wish to do you harm.
“While losing your phone can be stressful, Android Device Manager can help you keep your data from ending up in the wrong hands. If your phone can’t be recovered, or has been stolen, you can quickly and securely erase all of the data on your device,” the company wrote on the official Android blog.
Of course, iOS users have had access to a similar ‘Find My iPhone’ tool for a three years now, while Windows Phone users can also find missing devices and wipe them clean if necessary with the ‘Find My Phone’ tool.
It’s about time Android, with the largest proportion of mobile users on earth, got its head around the problem too.
The roll out is coming to all users of devices running Android 4.2 and above.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
