Tile tracker to get big boost by joining Amazon's Sidewalk mesh network

Amazon has announced that Tile’s Bluetooth tracker will soon become much more powerful, by joining Amazon’s ubiquitous Sidewalk mesh network.

Amazon Sidewalk

Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth long-range wireless communication protocol built into recent Amazon Echo devices and Ring doorbells which makes it easier for devices to connect at a distance from your hub and also for devices that do not belong to you to connect to the internet (a feature which raised some controversy).

Amazon said they will be expanding their Sidewalk network with compatible Echo devices beginning June 8. They are reassuring users that Sidewalk has multiple layers of privacy and security, and that data shared over the Sidewalk network is protected with three layers of encryption, only accessible by the devices you choose, and automatically deleted every 24 hours to protect your privacy.

Tile Trackers join Amazon Sidewalk

Starting 14th June, Tile trackers will be able to use the bridging feature to be found far from your phone.

“Amazon Sidewalk will strengthen Tile’s finding power for our devices and Find with Tile device partners that leverage our finding technology, making it even easier to find lost or misplaced keys, wallets, or other Tiled items both inside and outside the home,” said CJ Prober, CEO of Tile.

Sidewalk will also strengthen Tile’s existing in-home finding experience with Alexa. Just say, “Alexa, find my keys,” and your Tile will start ringing from your coat pocket or from under the bed, signalling where to find your lost item. Additionally, if you have multiple Echo devices connected to Sidewalk, you’ll be able to find your misplaced items faster around the home. For example, Alexa can tell you which Echo device your Tiled item is closest to, whether it is your kitchen speaker or your bedroom speaker, and the day and time it was last seen near that device.

Level smart locks

Amazon is also expanding Sidewalk to support Level smart locks, allowing the smart locks to connect to Ring video doorbells and enabling the Bluetooth smart lock to be unlocked remotely.

“With Sidewalk, you can control your entryway from anywhere, even if you are not home, so welcoming friends and family has never been easier. We’re thrilled to be one of the first Sidewalk-enabled devices and offer more value, options, and convenience to our customers,” said John Martin, CEO and co-founder of Level.

These new features are rolling out through updates in the Ring and Level apps and will be available by the end of May.

via the verge