Google has announced a number of new Android features as part of the Android 16 QPR3 update. Included among these are changes to the Find Hub which, in conjunction with various partners, provides ways to keep track of your luggage while traveling.
If you have a location tag that is compatible with Find Hub, it is a handy way to monitor the location of suitcases. Now, should something go missing, Google has introduced a way to share location information with your airline.
Stressing that privacy has been made a top priority, Google says that encryption helps to stop the location data that is shared in this way from falling into the wrong hands. No more information is shared than is necessary to help with the finding of your lost items by the right people.
Google explains how the system works:
- Find and share: In the Find Hub app, select your lost item and tap “share item location” to generate a unique, secure URL.
- Provide to the airline: Copy the secure link and paste it into the airline’s mobile app or website so they can see the item’s location as it updates.
- Stop sharing anytime: You can immediately stop sharing your item’s location right from the app.
In addition to partnering with airlines, Google has also joined forces with makers of suitcases as the company explains:
We’ve teamed up with the travel industry to help ensure this feature works where you need it most. More than 10 major global airlines — including Ajet, Air India, China Airlines, the Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss International Airlines), Saudia Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Turkish Airlines — now accept Find Hub locations as part of their baggage recovery process, with more, like Qantas, coming in the near future.
We’ve collaborated with both SITA and Reunitus to integrate this technology into WorldTracer and NetTracer, the industry’s leading baggage-tracing systems. Together, these platforms power the recovery operations for hundreds of airlines at thousands of airports worldwide. This ensures that whether a passenger is flying with a major carrier or a regional partner, the tools to locate missing bags are more interconnected and effective than ever.
We’re also working with Samsonite to embed Find Hub technology directly into their latest designs. Now, compatible Samsonite suitcases come ready to pair with the Find Hub network right out of the box, offering you an easy way to stay connected to your belongings and gear so you can travel with added confidence.
Full details are available in Google’s announcement here.
