Google has expanded the rollout of the major Find My Device upgrade, which includes location sharing with “People,” after announcing the beginning of this month.
This upgrade begins in the “Devices” tab, where a split-screen view takes the place of the full-screen list. Phones, tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and trackers are displayed below the map at the top. Every item now has a smaller symbol than before, and if you have Family devices, you’ll see more filter chips.
Friends and family may already view each other’s shared locations on Google Maps. It is now simpler to find both people and objects in one location thanks to the Android Find My Device app’s dual functionality. Friends who share their locations using Google Maps on iOS are likewise displayed on the map.
When you hit the new People tab in the Android app, you can see the locations of any contacts who are sharing their location with you. Additionally, you have the option to navigate to a tab that displays the people you are sharing your location with and provides you with settings like adjusting how long you do so.
Nowadays, Google’s interface looks more like Apple’s Find My app, which has a split-screen user interface (UI) with a map on top and devices or people on the bottom, depending on whether you’re looking at people or items.
An interesting “pull tab” in the upper-right corner of the profile menu is used by Find My Device to allow you to switch accounts, sign in as a guest, view blocked users, and access location sharing settings.
All things considered, this design harkens back to earlier, more antiquated designs, with functionality triumphing over simplicity.
The new “People” tab on Find My Device, which is presently in “Beta,” allows you to share your location and check where friends and family are. With the option to filter by “Sharing with you” and “You’re sharing with,” the same sheet layout is used here.
People with their address and proximity are shown below. You can begin sharing by clicking on a floating action button (FAB) positioned in the map’s lower-right corner. In addition to the time choice, there is a card-based preview of what you will be sending: Only today, for one hour, till you switch this off, and for a custom amount of time. In the sheet below, you can “Share link” or see a carousel of people.
To show a blue dot on your map and find out your friends’ distance from you, you must “Grant app location permissions.”
Today, Google Play is releasing Find My Device version 3.1.277-4 to a large audience.