Find my Friends equivalent for Android

[miamialley]

Just got an S4, thought Google Latitude would work like Find my Friends. It doesn't. At least not with my friends using iOS (haven't tried it with friends using Android, so I can't comment on that). My iOS friends' locations never updates unless they open the app. That's pretty pointless.

Anyone recommend a FMF equivalent for Android that plays with iOS, too? I can't find much.

 

[Looon]

my girlfriend and I use life360 and it works very well. I also have an iPhone and she is on a S3 so it works between different OS. You have to sign up for an account for it though.

 

[jman240]

Try Glympse. Its not really on demand but it's much less creepy.

It's not only iOS and Android but also works in browsers.

 

[miamialley]

my girlfriend and I use life360 and it works very well. I also have an iPhone and she is on a S3 so it works between different OS. You have to sign up for an account for it though.

Try Glympse. Its not really on demand but it's much less creepy.

It's not only iOS and Android but also works in browsers.

Glympse won't work because after 4 hours you need approval to view someone's location.

I'll look at Life360.

 

[miamialley]

After turning off background updating for Life360, it looks like you can still request and receive the location of a friend. That's what we are looking for. I wish Google Latitude would work this way, instead of constantly suck the battery (I prefer its UI and google integration).

 

[SlCKB0Y]

My iOS friends' locations never updates unless they open the app. That's pretty pointless.

That's iOS!

 

[miamialley]

That's iOS!

Well, no, Find My Friends allows you to request their device's location. That way, it doesn't have to draw from the GPS constantly and it's a one time shot that doesn't require their permission at each request. This is how Life360 works, even for iOS.

 

[Chodite]

Even better question - Android equivalent to Find my iPhone?

(run by iCloud and the iOS device does NOT need any specific app to be open, phone just needs to be on).

 

[cynics]

Find my Friends equivalent from Google would be Google Latitude it's available for iOS users too.

Find my iPhone equivalent or at least my favorite would be Cerberus. I shouldnt say equivalent however. It's much much more powerful and is extremely difficult to defeat. Basically everything find my iPhone does plus it will alert you if a different sim is installed, you can turn on the GPS remotely, get a list of activity (text, calls), record audio from the microphone, and much more.

 

[SeanR1]

Even better question - Android equivalent to Find my iPhone?

(run by iCloud and the iOS device does NOT need any specific app to be open, phone just needs to be on).

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb

You can install after phone is lost.

 

[Chodite]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb

You can install after phone is lost.

Seems good for if you lose your phone, but what makes Find My iPhone so great is if you have multiple iPhones on the same iCloud account (wife, for example), you can find out where the others phones are and how much more time you have to enjoy that Happy Hour beer before she gets home from work

 

[miamialley]

Find my Friends equivalent from Google would be Google Latitude it's available for iOS users too.

Find my iPhone equivalent or at least my favorite would be Cerberus. I shouldnt say equivalent however. It's much much more powerful and is extremely difficult to defeat. Basically everything find my iPhone does plus it will alert you if a different sim is installed, you can turn on the GPS remotely, get a list of activity (text, calls), record audio from the microphone, and much more.

Wrong! I wanted Latitude to be a replacement, but it's not. You cannot just check on someone's location. They must check in or otherwise have the app open. AND it must run in the background of iOS, which kills the battery. So no, not a replacement. Though I'd love it if it were.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

Well, no, Find My Friends allows you to request their device's location.

What i'm getting at is that once Latitude is enabled on Android, it will periodically update your location without your input.

I'm guessing the process management and backgrounding on iOS means that it can't function in this way?

 

[Fireblade]

There are people out there, who letting track them the whole day??
Holy Moly.....

 

[cynics]

Wrong! I wanted Latitude to be a replacement, but it's not. You cannot just check on someone's location. They must check in or otherwise have the app open. AND it must run in the background of iOS, which kills the battery. So no, not a replacement. Though I'd love it if it were.

Google Latitude API should be updating others location on a request from the individual looking. I use it because two of my friends have Android devices (an S2 and S3). Of the 8 friends I have on there they have all been updated at or less then 4 minutes ago. I can say with great certainty they all haven't used the app less then 4 minutes ago. I rarely check it.

It works the same in iOS that's why even though I dont have it running its still using the GPS. Look in the upper right.

I haven't found it to use more or less battery then find my friends. I think people get that idea because it shows GPS usage in the upper right near constantly. Find my friends just does not display GPS usage but it definitely uses it.

Your claim of how it works contradicts itself anyway. You say it needs to be opened for it to update then say it drains the battery. So which is it? Does the OS suspend its operation and not update and not use battery or does it constantly use the GPS updating location and drain the battery?

Maybe there is a setting in it for background updating in Android like it has in iOS?

I can check for you on my tablet when I get home.

Like find my friends your location will be updated faster if you open the app obviously. Only time I see people not update is just like find my friends, they have it off or have turned off background updating for privacy reasons.

 

[Kashsystems]

What i'm getting at is that once Latitude is enabled on Android, it will periodically update your location without your input.

I'm guessing the process management and backgrounding on iOS means that it can't function in this way?

No GPS services can run in the background. They have to enable it in the App and also make sure they have location services enable on the phone. It is actually one of the few things allowed to run in the background.

 

[miamialley]

Google Latitude API should be updating others location on a request from the individual looking. I use it because two of my friends have Android devices (an S2 and S3). Of the 8 friends I have on there they have all been updated at or less then 4 minutes ago. I can say with great certainty they all haven't used the app less then 4 minutes ago. I rarely check it.

It works the same in iOS that's why even though I dont have it running its still using the GPS. Look in the upper right.

Image

Image

I haven't found it to use more or less battery then find my friends. I think people get that idea because it shows GPS usage in the upper right near constantly. Find my friends just does not display GPS usage but it definitely uses it.

Your claim of how it works contradicts itself anyway. You say it needs to be opened for it to update then say it drains the battery. So which is it? Does the OS suspend its operation and not update and not use battery or does it constantly use the GPS updating location and drain the battery?

Maybe there is a setting in it for background updating in Android like it has in iOS?

Image

I can check for you on my tablet when I get home.

Like find my friends your location will be updated faster if you open the app obviously. Only time I see people not update is just like find my friends, they have it off or have turned off background updating for privacy reasons.

I mean that in order for me to check their location at will, they have to have the process running in the background, which drains their battery.

And you're saying all 8 friends locations have been updated...what I don't want is for the app to update my location UNLESS someone requests it. I don't want it to update my location (and waste battery) unless someone requests my location. This is why Find My Friends is great for my purposes. Make sense?

I wish Google Latitude would work this way, but I'm still understanding it doesn't. Correct me if I'm not understanding.

 

[paulsalter]

I mean that in order for me to check their location at will, they have to have the process running in the background, which drains their battery.

And you're saying all 8 friends locations have been updated...what I don't want is for the app to update my location UNLESS someone requests it. I don't want it to update my location (and waste battery) unless someone requests my location. This is why Find My Friends is great for my purposes. Make sense?

I wish Google Latitude would work this way, but I'm still understanding it doesn't. Correct me if I'm not understanding.

It doesn't update the location constantly, unless you are moving around a lot

here is an example of latitude updates for me (between 9 & 11 I was driving in the car)

so for example if you are in a bar/restaurant for 3 hours on an evening, it will update 3 times (once per hour)

shows time period and the updates during that period, so 2 updates between midnight and 1am (not sure why as I was asleep)

spaced out the first few entries to show them better

12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
12:01 AM 12:48 AM

1:00 AM - 2:00 AM
1:52 AM

3:00 AM - 4:00 AM
3:13 AM

4:00 AM - 5:00 AM
4:49 AM

6:00 AM - 7:00 AM
6:13 AM 6:46 AM
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:17 AM 8:23 AM
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
9:12 AM 9:13 AM 9:14 AM 9:29 AM
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
10:32 AM 10:34 AM 10:37 AM 10:44 AM 10:47 AM
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
11:38 AM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:50 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
2:02 PM
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
3:17 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:32 PM
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
5:47 PM
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
7:05 PM
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
8:15 PM
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
9:31 PM
10:00 PM - 11:00 PM
10:43 PM
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM
11:59 PM

 

[miamialley]

It doesn't update the location constantly, unless you are moving around a lot

here is an example of latitude updates for me (between 9 & 11 I was driving in the car)

so for example if you are in a bar/restaurant for 3 hours on an evening, it will update 3 times (once per hour)

shows time period and the updates during that period, so 2 updates between midnight and 1am (not sure why as I was asleep)

spaced out the first few entries to show them better

12:00 AM - 1:00 AM
12:01 AM 12:48 AM

1:00 AM - 2:00 AM
1:52 AM

3:00 AM - 4:00 AM
3:13 AM

4:00 AM - 5:00 AM
4:49 AM

6:00 AM - 7:00 AM
6:13 AM 6:46 AM
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:17 AM 8:23 AM
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
9:12 AM 9:13 AM 9:14 AM 9:29 AM
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
10:32 AM 10:34 AM 10:37 AM 10:44 AM 10:47 AM
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
11:38 AM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:50 PM
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
2:02 PM
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
3:17 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
4:32 PM
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
5:47 PM
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
7:05 PM
8:00 PM - 9:00 PM
8:15 PM
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
9:31 PM
10:00 PM - 11:00 PM
10:43 PM
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM
11:59 PM

But see, that's what I don't want. I don't want my S4 battery to be used at all for finding my location unless someone specifically wants to know where I am. Which might be once or twice per day. That will be easier on my battery than what you're describing. My S4 battery doesn't last as long as my iPhone 5, so I don't want any draining that doesn't need to. And, for times when I do move around a lot, I don't want it to drag down my battery.

 

[paulsalter]

But see, that's what I don't want. I don't want my S4 battery to be used at all for finding my location unless someone specifically wants to know where I am. Which might be once or twice per day. That will be easier on my battery than what you're describing. My S4 battery doesn't last as long as my iPhone 5, so I don't want any draining that doesn't need to. And, for times when I do move around a lot, I don't want it to drag down my battery.

Unless you really don't want to use, I would suggest trying it and seeing how it affects battery

chose a day when you can easily charge if it does run the battery down quickly, weekend perhaps

I don't have the S4, but on my S2 maps uses about 10% of the battery (easily still lasts a day)
On my Nexus 7 it uses around 2% in a day

 

[BBooch]

Glympse for friends, Life360 for family/kids

I just tried Glympse and Life360 only for 5 minutes, but my impression is that Life360 is pretty creepy and invasive. Glympse seems like something I would use for connecting with my adult friends and girlfriend. Life360 is for your small children if you are a hawk-eye parent.
To each his own

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Even better question - Android equivalent to Find my iPhone?

(run by iCloud and the iOS device does NOT need any specific app to be open, phone just needs to be on).

AirDroid has a feature to find your phone and remotely wipe it. You can also look through the camera remotely to see who is using it.

http://www.airdroid.com/

 

[yosef]

Try pyng.me, it's new

pyng.me

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pyng.me

I believe this fits what you want as your use cases match why we built it. Anyone with a web browser can ask for your location and get it in real time. You can set so certain people can make your location feed automatically to them when they request. Everyone else you respond yes\no to.

It's all facebook signin required, so no one can see where you are unless you grant them permission.

I use this so my wife can see if I'm stuck in traffic or if I'm on a jog she can see where I'm at. I trust the security enough that I'll post my pyng.me page here. If you pyng.me I'll say no and you won't see where I am.

https://pyng.me/yosef

 

[ceva321]

I just tried Glympse and Life360 only for 5 minutes, but my impression is that Life360 is pretty creepy and invasive. Glympse seems like something I would use for connecting with my adult friends and girlfriend. Life360 is for your small children if you are a hawk-eye parent.
To each his own

wow you are right i just joined Life360 and indeed is very creepy..all i saw was child molesters around me LOL

 

[0dev]

The whole idea of constantly tracking all your friends is creepy in the first place...