Quote:
Originally Posted by GloryDayz
Like you I'm an Android user, but it looks like both Apple's air tags and Tile Mate use other phones to help people who aren't within bluetooth range. Worth a try? 
From an Google search that AI returned and answer:
Yes, Tile Mates use other Android phones to help find lost items:
Bluetooth signal: The Tile Mate broadcasts a Bluetooth signal that pings devices running the Tile app.
Tile network: The Tile network uses the phone that the Tile pings to get a rough GPS location of the tracker.
Tile app: The Tile app uses your phone's location services to track down the item.
Crowd-finding network: The Tile Mate uses Tile's crowd-finding network to help track down lost items.
Map: If the Tile is out of Bluetooth range, you can see a map showing its last known location.
Ring your phone: You can use the Tile app to make your phone ring, even if it's on silent.
Notify When Found: You can enable the Notify When Found feature to share your contact details with anyone who finds your Tile.
Tile trackers work with Android devices running Android 8.0 or newer. You can download the free Tile app from the Google Play store. |
The issue isn't the devices - it's the network. Essentially every iPhone in the world is a "tracker" for airtags while Google 1) is years behind, so their tech isn't as refined and 2) users generally have to opt in to let their Android device be a tracker.
I have a few Tile tags, and if you lose something in a busy place like an airport, you can usually get something to pick it up after a while, but it can take hours. And if it's lost somewhere with less traffic, it might take days.
Contrast that with airtags, which are typically found in minutes as long as it's not somewhere super remote.