Google Android finally has an official equivalent to Apple’s “Find My iPhone” feature. It’s called Android Device Manager. It allows you to locate your errant Android device through Google Maps/GPS and force your device to ring at the maximum volume. If neither of those options help you find your Android phone or tablet then a remote data wipe can be performed.
While a number of third-party apps have offered this type of functionality for Android, I’ve always been puzzled that there was never a first-party solution. It’s too important a feature to leave in the hands of third-party developers. Don’t get me wrong, some of those apps are very good, but this type of security should be a simple and straightforward first-party solution.
People that search for an app like this on Google Play are met with an overwhelming amount of choices; it’s confusing and many people give up their data to a company they don’t know. An official solution was long overdue and it appears, on paper, to be a good one. As for data concerns, Google already knows everything about you anyway. :p
Android Device Manager will be available in August for devices running Android 2.2 or higher.
Out of curiosity, do any of you use a third-party Android app with “Find My iPhone” functionality? If so, are you going to drop it for Android Device Manager? If not, are you going to use Google’s official solution?
