GoKawiilRita El Khoury / Android Authority
Google’s Find Hub network and AirTag alternative trackers have been out for nearly two years now, and a lot has happened in this time. What started as a weak network with many bugs, inconsistencies, and unreliability issues is now a more solid, widespread, and reliable way to find your trackers — as well as your phone, buds, or smartwatch — nearly anywhere in the world.
However, Google’s network and trackers are still lagging behind the competition from Apple, Samsung, and Tile in a few key areas. I’ve been testing and comparing these trackers long enough that all of their shortcomings have become very clear. Here are six areas where Google should focus its efforts to make its network and trackers the best out there, and the most trustworthy.
What needs urgent fixing with Google's Find Hub network and/or trackers? 16 votes Offline Bluetooth-only finding for nearby trackers 6 % More UWB options, or proper Bluetooth 6.0 support 44 % Left-behind alerts 25 % Better way to track a moving tracker 6 % Reverse phone finding 13 % Location history 6 %
A Bluetooth tracker should work over Bluetooth. Period.
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
OK, look, I know this sounds obvious to you and me. But it ain’t obvious to Google. For some mindboggling mystery that historians will still be talking about in 2080, Google’s Find Hub network does not work if you’re in an area with a weak signal or completely offline. You get a “Couldn’t load devices” error, and that’s it. While I understand this limitation for finding lost devices and trackers at a distance (duh), I do not understand why the network doesn’t flip over to just Bluetooth to locate nearby items.
So, here we have a bunch of Bluetooth trackers that simply can not be located over Bluetooth. Yup. You read that right. If your tracker is in the luggage hold of a train and you’re on an iffy connection, you can’t check whether the bag is still there. If you lose an item while hiking in a remote area, you can’t retrace your steps and ping your tracker til you find it. If you’ve just landed in a foreign country and don’t have a compatible SIM yet and want to check whether your luggage is nearby, you can’t. Even at home, if you happen to disconnect for a bit, your wallet, keys, or other items are not findable.
Apple AirTag airplane mode Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 offline nearby finding Tile Pro offline
And in case you’re wondering, Apple, Tile, and Samsung have all figured out a way to make their trackers findable offline over Bluetooth. This was unforgivable in 2024. It’s a tragedy in 2026. Fix it, Google. Yesterday.
... continue reading