Grogu, or Baby Yoda, may well compete with Apple for Google. Okay, technically it’s not really Grogu, but is the codename of a new Google product similar to Apple’s AirTag.
Grogu, GR10 and Groguaudio are codenames of a product Google is rumored to be working diligently on. The product in question is a tracker gadget with which the company is offering an alternative to Apple’s AirTag and Tiles.
Google’s Baby Yoda will be the counterpart to Apple’s AirTag
The rumor was brought out by the (quite reliable) leaker and developer Kuba Wojciechowski.
He uncovered references to the product and technology. These state that Google is working on location tags in conjunction with Fast Pair. That is Google’s method of quickly connecting nearest Bluetooth devices. That, too, is similar to Apple’s AirTag.
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Google is working on a smart tracker similar to Apple’s AirTag, codenamed “grogu” – report 
pic.twitter.com/8K6KO7tfzj
– Kuba Wojciechowski
(@Za_Raczke) January 16, 2023
Created by the Google Nest team
Wojciechowski further states that the Google Nest team is working on the Grogu gadgets and technology. According to him, that does not mean it will actually be a Google Nest product.
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“grogu” (alternatively “groguaudio” or “GR10”) is currently in development by the Nest team (although that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gonna launch under Nest).
– Kuba Wojciechowski (@Za_Raczke) January 16, 2023
The developer does say there’s a good chance the Grogu trackers will be released in different colors. In addition, it features a speaker so you can quickly find a missing device (or stuff the tags are attached to). That’s also possible with Apple’s AirTag.
Baby Yoda more accurate than Apple’s AirTag?
Wojciechowski also claims Google is using Bluetooth LE and ultra-wideband (UWB) for Grogu. Google’s flagships, the Pixel 6 Pro and the Pixel 7 Pro support the latter technology. However, it is now only used for Nearby Share that lets you easily share files and apps.
Although UWB is much more precise than Bluetooth, Grogu does not necessarily need to use it. “Even though Google’s tracker most likely has UWB it is not a requirement for the Finder Network. BLE is actually sufficient,” Wojciechowski said.
Furthermore, the developer is guessing that the Apple AirTa competitor will be announced at the I/O Developer Conference in May and presented along with the new Pixel phones in the fall.
