The OnePlus 13 features a handy device location trick taken from Pixel phones.
Locate your phone even when it's turned off.
OnePlus has announced that its recent model, the OnePlus 13, will have the feature that allows the device to be located even when it is turned off. This new development comes after a significant update that Google implemented for its Find My Device tool in 2024, which enables certain Pixel phones to be located despite being out of service.
During testing, the option for locating the device while it is turned off was identified. This represents a considerable advantage, considering that if someone steals the phone, it is quite likely that they will turn it off to make locating it more difficult. Previously, only the Google Pixel 8, Google Pixel 8 Pro, and Google Pixel 9 models had this capability. For other phones, the only available option was to know their last location before they were turned off.
This feature further enhances the impressive qualities of the OnePlus 13, which has already been described as a "practically perfect flagship," receiving a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 in recent reviews.
The secret to locating a turned-off phone lies in the fact that it is not completely inactive; part of the Bluetooth module remains active, transmitting its location to nearby devices that are part of the Find My Device network. This means that you will rely on other devices to find your lost phone. This approach utilizes crowdsourcing for location tracking, done anonymously and encrypted, similar to what Apple’s Find My network offers.
The duration for which this Bluetooth transmission can last is not unlimited, although it is estimated to work for a minimum of a few hours. For this to function, specific hardware must be present in the phone and the manufacturer must enable this option, which is why it has not been widely supported to date.
As 2025 progresses, it is expected that more devices will adapt to this feature. Google Pixel phones seem to be set to continue supporting this option, while it remains to be seen whether Samsung's Galaxy S25 series, which will be unveiled on January 22, will also adopt this innovation.