{"id":477216,"date":"2026-02-15T21:26:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T21:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/477216\/"},"modified":"2026-02-15T21:26:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T21:26:15","slug":"android-find-hub-trackers-continue-to-ignore-uwb-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/477216\/","title":{"rendered":"Android Find Hub trackers continue to ignore UWB \u2013 here’s why"},"content":{"rendered":"

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One of the key marketing points of the Apple AirTag is \u201cPrecision Finding,\u201d which shows you the precise location of your tracker beyond what Bluetooth is capable of. That\u2019s accomplished using UWB, but that feature is also missing from the vast majority of Android Find Hub trackers, and there are a few key reasons why.<\/p>\n

This issue of 9to5Google Weekender is a part of 9to5Google\u2019s rebooted newsletter that highlights the biggest Google stories with added commentary and other tidbits. Sign up here<\/a> to get it delivered to your inbox early!<\/p>\n

Ultra-wideband (UWB) radios in smartphones can be used for a number of functions, but one of the biggest use cases is the ability to precisely calculate the distance between your smartphone and another object. For trackers, that means being able to not only get in the general area of the tracker, but have your smartphone point out the exact distance between you and the tracker and the direction to.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s an obvious benefit, of course, but I\u2019ve personally never been all that sold on it. Between AirTags, Galaxy SmartTag, and various Android Find Hub trackers, I never find myself really missing UWB. Why? Firstly, it matters a lot what you\u2019re actually tracking. If it\u2019s a suitcase, backpack, purse, or anything else, Bluetooth is going to get you close enough to find it, where UWB really just has little to no added benefit. UWB only comes in handy with smaller items, like your keys or wallet. But, even then, I\u2019ve largely found Bluetooth to be sufficient, with the chime built into all of these trackers filling any leftover gap in being able to actually find the item. <\/p>\n

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But that\u2019s just me. Clearly, there\u2019s a vocal audience of people who want UWB in their trackers.<\/p>\n

Not a single Android Find Hub tracker launch goes by where we don\u2019t get comments on our coverage here at 9to5Google asking why there\u2019s no UWB support. It happens over<\/a> and over <\/a>and over <\/a>and over <\/a>and over <\/a>again \u2013 and those are just in articles from the first two months of 2026.<\/p>\n

To date, there\u2019s only been a single Android Find Hub tracker with UWB, and that\u2019s the Moto Tag \u2013 with another UWB-equipped sequel in the \u201cMoto Tag 2\u201d on the way<\/a>. Despite Google providing the software support, no one seems to be interested in latching on, with the latest being the upcoming Xiaomi Tag<\/a>, which also appears to be skipping UWB.<\/p>\n

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Moto Tag 2 features UWB, but the upcoming Xiaomi Tag seemingly doesn\u2019t<\/p>\n

Even as someone who doesn\u2019t really care if a tracker has UWB or not, it is a little frustrating to see functionality left to be neglected, but there are some key reasons for this.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, there\u2019s the \u201cF-word\u201d \u2013 fragmentation. Not of Android software, but of hardware. <\/p>\n

Where Apple has been equipping every iPhone with UWB for a few years now, it\u2019s still relatively uncommon on Android. You\u2019ll find it in top-end flagships like the Pixel Pro and Galaxy Ultra-level devices, but even Google\u2019s base Pixel 10 lacks UWB, as does Samsung\u2019s mass-market Galaxy S25. Those are $800 phones that simply lack the hardware to do this entirely, and they\u2019re not alone. OnePlus 15, Nothing Phone (3), Honor Magic 8 Pro, and Oppo Find X9, just as a few more examples, also don\u2019t support UWB. Plus, Samsung even restricted<\/a> UWB on some of its older phones solely to its own tracker, with Moto Tag not being able to leverage that hardware. So even as the market moves more and more into premium smartphones<\/a>, Android as a whole just doesn\u2019t prioritize UWB on a hardware level.<\/p>\n

That alone is reason enough for Android Find Hub trackers to largely ignore UWB, but the bigger reason looks to be Apple.<\/p>\n

UWB is something that Apple seems to have no interest in allowing third-party Find My trackers to support. It\u2019s an AirTag exclusive, just like how Apple tends to severely hinder functionality on third-party smartwatches and various other accessories. <\/p>\n

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Apple loves to advertise UWB-powered \u201cPrecision Finding,\u201d an AirTag-only feature<\/p>\n

Tile has been fighting<\/a> this one for years now, but as it stands today, the only way to make a tracker for Apple\u2019s Find My network is to focus on Bluetooth. As such, why would anyone building a tracker that supports both networks \u2013 which is very much the trend now \u2013 even bother throwing in UWB? It only adds cost and works for just a fraction of a fraction of devices people will be using with that tracker.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s backed up by Pebblebee, one of the leading makers of Android Find Hub trackers. Speaking to 9to5Google, Pebblebee founder and CEO Daniel Daoura said that \u201ccreating a version\u201d of its tracker \u201cthat only enables UWB on one platform (Android) but not the other (iOS) would be confusing for customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adding to that, Daoura said that \u201cUWB silicon still adds meaningful cost.\u201d In a market where the AirTag is already cheaper than most third-party accessories \u2013 $29.99 vs the $34.99 price tag<\/a> we see from Pebblebee and others \u2013 adding any additional cost just doesn\u2019t make much sense, especially as Daoura says that \u201cwe consistently hear from users\u2026 that fast audible alerts and bright visual cues solve most real-world problems. People want their item to ring loudly or flash so they can find it quickly.\u201d As such, Pebblebee Clip 5 integrated a louder speaker and brighter LEDs when it launched last year<\/a> \u2013 and it\u2019s still louder than AirTag 2.<\/p>\n

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Pebblebee\u2019s latest trackers still skip UWB, but they focus on being louder \u2013 both in design and speaker \u2013 because that\u2019s what the company found users are actually asking for<\/p>\n

So, while a lack of Android hardware support is probably a key reason, I\u2019d argue that Apple is an even bigger reason that we don\u2019t see UWB on third-party trackers. As Pebblebee brings out, it just doesn\u2019t make sense to make a tracker that supports UWB on one phone but not the other, especially when you bring cost into the mix.<\/p>\n

On that note, we\u2019ve heard from multiple sources that the reason you won\u2019t see any trackers that support both Apple\u2019s Find My and Android\u2019s Find Hub networks simultaneously is that Apple\u2019s terms block this, so the current state of pairing to one or the other and resetting to swap is the best we\u2019ll get for the time being.<\/p>\n

Right now, UWB support for Android Find Hub trackers feels very much like a \u201cchicken and the egg\u201d situation, just with several layers to it. Tracker makers don\u2019t have much of an incentive to support UWB if Apple is blocking it, and most Android phones don\u2019t support it anyway. Android manufacturers don\u2019t have much of an incentive to include UWB hardware if there are no actual use cases. And Apple has no incentive to expand UWB to third-party devices because, well, they just want to sell you an AirTag.<\/p>\n

Things may change over time, but that\u2019s just how it is today. <\/p>\n

UWB is a great idea and the way it\u2019s been implemented in trackers is genuinely useful, but it\u2019s also pretty clear why we\u2019re not seeing it in more devices when you look at the big picture, and it\u2019s a shame.<\/p>\n

This Week\u2019s Top Stories<\/p>\n

Android 17 Beta 1<\/p>\n

On Wednesday we were supposed to see the release of the first beta \u2013 yes, beta \u2013 for Android 17 but\u2026 it just didn\u2019t happen. Google pulled the Wednesday announcement at the last minute. But there are a few early details that the company provided including the schedule of when we\u2019ll see releases.<\/p>\n

Then, on Friday, the beta dropped, but it\u2019s fairly minimal.<\/p>\n

Samsung confirms Galaxy S26 launch as the leaks continue<\/p>\n

Samsung this week confirmed a February 25 launch event for the Galaxy S26 series, but the leaks continue to make this a relatively unexciting new release.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

And some Pixel 10a leaks for good measure<\/p>\n

Google has already confirmed the Pixel 10a\u2019s launch date and shown it off, but that hasn\u2019t stopped the leaks, including a spec breakdown and more.<\/p>\n

More Top Stories<\/p>\n

From the rest of 9to5<\/p>\n

9to5Mac: Apple releases iOS 26.3 for iPhone, here\u2019s what\u2019s new<\/a><\/p>\n

9to5Toys: Exclusive hands-on with Nintendo\u2019s new My Mario collection<\/a><\/p>\n

Electrek: Tesla (TSLA) US sales estimated to have dropped 17% in January<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow Ben:\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>,\u00a0Threads<\/a>, Bluesky<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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