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Google’s Pixel Tag tracker won’t work as well on older Android phones – check our list

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Google’s Pixel Tag tracker won’t work as well on older Android phones – check our list

Tech > Services & Software > Operating Systems > Mobile OS > Android

Google’s Pixel Tag, the company’s take on an Android-exclusive Bluetooth tracker, is finally here, following its August announcement during the Google I/O developer conference.

Also: Google’s new Android XR glasses have lower ‘creep factor’ than competitors

Pixel Tag is a complete Bluetooth tracker for Android users that appears less confined to device-specific ecosystems than Samsung’s Smart Tag 3 and Apple’s AirTag.

However, if you look at Google’s footnotes, the Pixel Tag’s functionality is diminished when an older Android phone is involved. Several of the tracker’s best features require a compatible device running Android 9.0+ and Bluetooth 6.0+, according to Google.

Android 9 and newer encompasses a lot of devices, but Bluetooth 6.0 and newer doesn’t. Here’s what to check before you buy.

Smartphones began shipping with Bluetooth 6.0 in 2025, starting with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The following phones also have Bluetooth 6.0:

If your Android phone is older than any of the listed above, even by a generation, it likely supports Bluetooth 5.3 or 5.4 — not enough for the Pixel Tag’s best features.

The Pixel Tag’s precision-finding capabilities are powered by Bluetooth Channel Sounding, a key feature introduced in Bluetooth 6.0. Nearly every review I’ve seen of the Pixel Tag, including our own, tests the tracker when paired with a Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 11, or Pixel 11 Pro.

0+ can use the Pixel Tag for very basic, general location tracking.


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