Google's Find people feature for Wear OS is a handy tool, but it's not what you might expect. At first glance, it seems limited, as you can't use your watch to start sharing your location or pull up a map showing someone else's location. However, this is because the feature is designed to work in a specific way. It's more about keeping track of you when your phone isn't around, rather than enabling two-way location sharing.
The feature appears as part of the Find Hub app on Wear OS, and it uses Google's existing Location Sharing system. When you start sharing your location with someone through the Find Hub on your phone, that person appears on your watch under "Can see your location," along with the duration of the sharing session. This setup is similar to how people tracking works in Find My Device.
One of the most useful aspects of Find people is its ability to continue sharing your location even when you leave your phone behind. If you have an LTE watch, it can share your location using its own GPS, so the person you've shared with can still see where you are. This is particularly handy when you're out for a run or any other activity where carrying your phone is impractical.
The stripped-back nature of Find people on the watch is intentional. It's not meant to turn your wrist into a miniature version of Find Hub, where both people can track each other. If you want to see the other person's location, the watch will send you back to your phone. The focus is on keeping your own location available to the people you've chosen.
There's also a Location Sharing control on the watch, which provides explanatory screens about the system's workings. Turning it on for the first time brings up these screens, while turning it off prevents the watch from sharing your location across Google apps. However, revoking location permission from Find people won't stop Location Sharing from the device.
In summary, Find people is a useful tool for keeping track of you when your phone isn't around. While it may not offer the two-way location sharing you might expect, it's a handy feature for those who want to stay connected and informed about their loved ones' whereabouts.
