Samsung Electronics has announced that their innovative SmartThings Find feature has now extended to encompass 300 million “find nodes.” These nodes represent registered devices that have opted-in to support other Samsung Galaxy users in locating their lost or misplaced devices.
Samsung has noted that this achievement signifies a rapid and consistent progression for SmartThings Find, having accumulated an additional 100 million nodes since July 2022, resulting in a 1.5-fold growth in merely 10 months.
This increase in the number of opted-in devices has effectively improved the efficiency of the device location service, as each registered device can aid in locating another. With a higher number of nodes, the efficacy of SmartThings Find will be further enhanced, making it even more beneficial for users.
Security and Privacy Remain a Top Priority
As SmartThings Find continues to grow in popularity, Samsung is prioritizing security and privacy for its users. To ensure that sensitive information remains protected, SmartThings Find utilizes encryption technology to safeguard user data.
Furthermore, Samsung Knox, a defense-grade security platform on Samsung Galaxy devices, adds an extra layer of protection. The location data of a user’s device is only shared with others with the user’s permission, and the ID of each device changes every 15 minutes and is stored anonymously.
Search for Unknown Tags Near You Feature
With the “Search for Unknown Tags Near You” feature, both Android and iOS users can manually determine if unknown tags are in their proximity. This feature allows users to gauge the signal strength of the tag, giving them an idea of how close the tag is to their current location. If a user identifies a tag as “safe,” they can designate it as such.
Unknown Tag Alerts Feature for Galaxy Users
For Galaxy users, SmartThings Find offers the “Unknown Tag Alerts” feature to provide an additional layer of security. This feature alerts users if an unknown SmartTag is following them, protecting against unauthorized tracking. Users can activate this feature within the SmartThings app’s “Life” tab and toggle it on or off within the settings menu.
Devices SmartThings Find Can Locate
SmartThings Find can quickly locate a range of Samsung Galaxy devices, including smartphones, tablets, watches, and earbuds. Additionally, it can locate Galaxy SmartTag or SmartTag+ devices, which can be attached to items such as keys or luggage.
Availability
Samsung SmartTag and SmartTag+ available for all their Galaxy smartphones, tablets, and other Android 8 or later devices.
For those equipped with UWB technology, including the Galaxy S23+ and Ultra, Galaxy S22+ and Ultra, S21+ and Ultra, Note20 Ultra, Z Fold2, Z Fold3, and Z Fold4, there is an additional augmented reality (AR) finding feature available on the SmartTag+.
Speaking on the announcement, Jaeyeon Jung, Corporate Executive Vice President and Head of SmartThings at Samsung Electronics, said:
We are delighted to see the rapid expansion of SmartThings Find, which unlocks a multitude of opportunities and advantages within our interconnected device network. This includes minimizing the inconvenience of losing a device and ensuring the protection of one’s possessions.
In addition to the benefits, we place great importance on the safe and responsible use of these technologies. SmartThings Find has implemented advanced security and privacy features to safeguard user data and mitigate any potential misuse. Furthermore, we are collaborating with other industry leaders to promote standards and guidelines that further enhance security.