Google recently released an Android Device Manager update which allows you to use Android Wear smartwatches to ring Android-powered smartphones. This new feature will give users a better chance of locating a lost or stolen smartphone. Of course, even with this new functionality, you still have to realize pretty quickly that your phone is missing if you want to have a chance of getting it back. The IT giant didn't offer a specific date for when this update will be delivered to users, but the announcement made by the company hinted that it might start rolling out within the next few weeks.
Even though there are a number of third-party apps which offer a similar kind of functionality, they rely on Bluetooth connection and will only work if the phone is in a relatively small area. However, this newly created native feature relies on Wi-Fi, so it should work as long as your phone is connected to the Internet, no matter how far it is from the wearable you are using. To be totally honest, I don't fully understand how that's better, since a Bluetooth connection generally works at about 20 meter and I'm not very sure how you are supposed to hear your ringtone if the mobile is farther than that.
Android Wear Phone Ringing
From my perspective (I admit to stealing the idea from a colleague), it would probably be much more practical to create an app that can ring your phone, then measure and display the strength of the Bluetooth connection. This would make finding your mobile very easy as the closer you get, the stronger the connection would be. But I don't work for Google.
Source: PCWorld
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