Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra lacks powered-off tracking feature
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is a spec monster, yet it reportedly lacks a power-off tracking feature.
Despite Google rebranding and expanding its Find My Device network into Find Hub, Samsungβs Galaxy S26 lineup appears to miss one of its most practical recovery features: powered-off tracking.
Friends over at AndroidAuthority spotted a revealing entry on Googleβs Issue Tracker. A Google employee shared logs from a Galaxy S26 Ultra while investigating a font-related issue. Buried inside was this line:
[ro.bluetooth.finder.supported]: [false]
It indicates that the Galaxy S26 Ultra does not support Bluetooth-based device finding after the phone is powered off. Google introduced this capability with the Pixel 8 series and continues it with the Pixel 9 lineup.
Googleβs Find Hub powered-off tracking allows a device to be located for several hours after it has been turned off. Nearby Android phones act as anonymous relays through Find Hub, helping pinpoint a lost device.
This is not a minor convenience, but a real-world safety net, and Samsung still is not using it. Samsung fans often point to SmartThings Find and say, βWe already have offline tracking.β
Samsungβs system relies on nearby Galaxy devices acting as βFind Nodes.β However, once the device is fully shut down, SmartThings Find stops working.
Googleβs powered-off tracking is different. It leverages low-level Bluetooth functionality that survives shutdown for a limited window; thatβs the key distinction.
What do you think, SammyFans? Is the lack of powered-off tracking on the Galaxy S26 Ultra a serious miss, or is Samsungβs SmartThings Find system sufficient for your needs?
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