Android users can share Find Hub tracker links with airlines

Google announced a series of Android and Pixel features this week as part of its March software update, called the Pixel Drop. The most notable addition lets users of Find Hub-compatible tracker tags share their item’s location with airlines to help recover lost luggage. In the Find Hub app, a user can select a lost item and tap “share item location” to generate a unique, secure URL, then paste that link into an airline’s app or website so the bag can be tracked as it moves. The link expires after seven days, and sharing is disabled once the phone detects the luggage is back with its owner.

More than 10 global airlines already accept Find Hub locations as part of their baggage-recovery process, 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. Google says it plans to partner with additional airlines in the future.

The update also brings a batch of smaller changes: Android users can now share their location directly inside Google Messages, Google Play is adding a feed of short-form videos to help people discover new apps, and the Phone app’s new “Calling Cards” let users personalize how they appear on an incoming call screen. Android Auto is introducing an educational play experience for children ages 3 to 12, and the At a Glance widget is adding real-time transit updates, live game scores for followed teams, and end-of-day summaries for stocks on a user’s Google Finance watchlist.

Circle to Search is also gaining two tools: “Find the Look,” which identifies individual pieces of an outfit, and “Try It On,” which pulls outfits from videos, social content, or images to preview on the user. Pixel Watch owners get an alert when they leave their phone behind and an automatic phone-lock feature when they’re out of range, while Pixel Watch 3 users can now answer calls, take photos, or pause workouts with one-handed gestures like a double pinch or wrist turn.

Why it matters

Baggage-tracking features tie a phone maker’s hardware ecosystem directly into airline operations, an angle that could extend Google’s reach in travel logistics beyond the device itself.