Bold reality check: Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra may still trail Pixel phones in a crucial capability, even amid Android’s enhanced Find My Device network.
Here’s what changes the game for everyday users: Google’s Find Hub (the evolved Find My Device network) uses Bluetooth and nearby devices to help locate a phone hours after it’s powered off. But this powerful feature isn’t universally available yet. Only Pixel devices have officially supported powered-off tracking so far, starting with the Pixel 8 series.
What the logs reveal matters: A Google employee shared Galaxy S26 Ultra logs on Google’s Issue Tracker while addressing a separate font issue. One line—[ro.bluetooth.finder.supported]: [false]—confirms the S26 Ultra does not support Bluetooth-based finding when powered down. In plain terms, you can’t rely on Google’s Find Hub to locate the phone after you switch it off, at least not on this model.
Samsung does offer an offline finding option through SmartThings Find, but it’s often misunderstood. The “offline” label means the phone can be located without mobile data or Wi-Fi only while it’s still on. If the device is powered off, this method stops working. Nearby Galaxy devices function as Find Nodes to relay your phone’s location to Samsung servers, but that network collapses once the phone truly powers down.
Bottom line: Even with Android’s expanded tracking tools, powered-off device finding remains patchy and platform-dependent. The Galaxy S25 and S26 lines don’t appear to include Google Find Hub powered-off support, putting Pixel devices in a leading position for this particular feature.
A few points to ponder:
- Do you value seamless powered-off tracking enough to influence your next device choice?
- Should Samsung push to implement Google Find Hub compatibility, or focus on strengthening SmartThings Find offline capabilities?
- How important is cross-ecosystem interoperability for you when choosing between Android phones and services?
Your thoughts matter. Do you agree that powered-off location tracking should be universal across major Android phones, or do you think platform-specific implementations are acceptable? Share your opinion in the comments.
