Googlebook owners finally get an explanation for the missing Find Hub app

Googlebooks have had their share of early software frustrations, but the recent removal of Find Hub support raised a particularly uncomfortable question. How do you find your expensive new laptop if it goes missing? Google initially offered no explanation for the decision, leaving owners wondering whether the feature was broken or being abandoned. We’ve now heard back from the company, and its explanation sheds some light on what happened.

In a statement to Android Authority, Google explained that Find Hub was primarily designed for mobile devices, which have different tracking requirements than laptops:

The Find Hub app is natively designed for mobile form factors, whereas a laptop naturally interacts with the finding network differently. Because the majority of laptop tracking occurs when the device is closed and asleep, we determined that a standard mobile app installation does not yet deliver the optimized, form-fitting experience we demand for Googlebook users.

In other words, simply putting the Android Find Hub app on a laptop doesn’t necessarily make it a reliable tracking solution. Phones are generally better suited to remaining discoverable, while laptops spend considerable time closed and asleep. Google seemingly wants a more tailored implementation rather than offering something that might not work when users need it most.

That explanation makes some sense, but Apple has already demonstrated that tracking a sleeping laptop is possible. Its Find My network can locate compatible MacBooks even when they’re offline and asleep, using Bluetooth signals detected by nearby Apple devices. Google may need a different implementation for Googlebooks, but removing the existing app without outlining an alternative solution puts its approach in an awkward position.

Google also confirmed that it has adjusted Play Store settings to prevent the app from being preloaded or installed on first-gen Googlebooks.

Fortunately, Googlebook owners can still visit Find Hub’s web interface to locate their other compatible devices, including Pixel phones, tablets, and trackers. Losing the native app doesn’t eliminate that functionality.

While Google’s explanation makes the removal easier to understand, it still leaves Googlebook owners without a clear answer on tracking their own laptops. The company hasn’t confirmed whether Googlebooks remain discoverable through Find Hub, nor has it indicated whether a more suitable tracking solution is in development. For anyone worried about losing their expensive new laptop, that’s hardly reassuring.