Samsung is debuting a new SmartThings Find service, which is designed to help Galaxy device owners locate lost gadgets.
The new tech, based on Bluetooth LE and ultra-wideband wireless, can make it easier to track down missing Galaxy smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and earbuds.
Samsung says that the SmartThings Find feature can even enable Galaxy phone and tablet owners to help others track down their devices – even if those lost devices are currently offline. The company explains that the BLE signal emitted by an offline device can be picked up by others within the supported distance. Users can opt-in to hope their fellow Samsung stablemates if they choose.
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In a press release Samsung explains: “Once a device has been offline for 30 minutes, it produces a BLE signal that can be received by other devices. If you report your device as lost via SmartThings Find, any nearby Galaxy smartphone or tablet that has opted into helping find misplaced devices can alert the Samsung server about its location, which will in turn notify you.
“All SmartThings Find user data is encrypted and securely protected, ensuring that the device’s location is not revealed to anyone except its owner.”
Beyond that, the SmartThings Find tool is pretty similar to Apple’s Find My app. After registering, users will be able to see the exact location of a device on a live map map. They can choose to ring the lost device to aid its discovery, while there’s also an AR-based Search Nearby feature, which will show colour-coded indicators to inform users when they’re getting closer to their lost product.
The firm added: “Whether you dropped your Galaxy Note20 Ultra behind the sofa, can’t remember where you stashed your Galaxy Buds Live, or left your Galaxy Watch3 somewhere so secure you can’t find it, the SmartThings Find service will help you keep more of your Galaxy devices safe through the easy-to-use SmartThings app.”
After a few months of testing, the feature is coming to the SmartThings app today for Galaxy phones and tablets running Android 8 and higher.
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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.
