A free app called uTag (a shortened version for Universal Tag), developed by Kieron Quinn, allows Samsung’s SmartTags trackers to work with Android devices that operate using Android 11 or later.
Samsung’s SmartTag trackers, available at retailers such as JB Hi-Fi for $55, were previously only compatible with Samsung Galaxy devices.
The Bluetooth-powered SmartTags can be attached to keys, bags or even pets.
Samsung’s SmartThings app includes a software check, and that check can only be carried out on a Samsung Galaxy device.
Certain features of the SmartThings app — including SmartThings Find also rely on software only available on Galaxy devices through Samsung’s One UI user interface.
The uTag app running on a Pixel 8 Pro
uTag replaces SmartThings Find tracking and map functionality with a Android app that replicates most of the features available in Samsung’s app.
It includes notifications for when a Tag is left behind, sharing its location, triggering its ringtone, and viewing location history.
Quinn notes that uTag is the “first tag tracking app on non-Samsung devices to support precise tracking” through ultra wideband (UWB) radios, a feature that’s not yet available on Google’s Find my Device app, reported The Verge.
Other functionality supported by uTag not offered through Samsung’s SmartThings app include the ability to automatically scan periodically for unknown Tags, biometric entry for the app, support for exporting location history, and support for offline location so users can view the tag’s last location and even use nearby search when offline but close to their tag.
The free uTag app is available through GitHub as a downloadable Android APK. The app will download and install a modified version of SmartThings during setup that disables its device checks for Galaxy hardware and allows the app to communicate with uTag.
