Google has finally entered the item tracker market with the Pixel Tag. The new Bluetooth tracker was launched alongside the Pixel 11 series and Pixel Watch 5.
The Pixel Tag is designed to help users find everyday items such as keys, wallets, backpacks and luggage. It works with Google’s Find Hub network, which uses more than one billion Android devices to help locate lost items.
The Pixel Tag supports Bluetooth as well as Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth Channel Sounding. These technologies allow the tracker to provide distance and directional guidance when users are trying to find a nearby item. The built-in speaker can also play a sound to make the tracker easier to locate.
Google has added another useful feature. A button on the Pixel Tag can be pressed to make a connected phone ring. This can help when the phone is misplaced instead of the tagged item.
The tracker also supports “Left Behind” alerts. Users can get a notification when they leave a tagged item behind.
The Pixel Tag does not need to remain within Bluetooth range of the user’s phone to be useful. When the tracker moves outside Bluetooth range, Google’s Find Hub network can use nearby Android devices to detect it and anonymously report its location. This gives the Pixel Tag access to a large network of devices that can help locate a lost item.
Google says Find Hub has more than one billion Android devices participating in the network.
The Pixel Tag also works with Pixel smartphones and the Pixel Watch. Google has also included Android’s existing unknown tracker alerts. These alerts can notify users if an unfamiliar tracker appears to be travelling with them, helping reduce the risk of trackers being misused to follow someone without their knowledge.
The Pixel Tag has a stainless steel construction and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
It has a built-in speaker and uses a replaceable battery. Google says the battery can last for up to one year.
Setting up the tracker is also straightforward. Users can pull out the battery tab and bring the Pixel Tag close to a smartphone running Android 9 or newer. Fast Pair then handles the setup.
The tag can be named through the Find Hub app. Google also allows users to share a Pixel Tag with up to 10 people, which could be useful for shared luggage, keys or other items.
The Google Pixel Tag is priced at INR 3,799 9 in the US. Google will also sell a four-pack for INR 12900.
However, there is one major catch. The Pixel Tag will not go on sale until November 11.
That makes Google’s entry into the tracker market interesting, but users will have to wait several months before they can actually buy one.
