How to Enable UWB on Android (and Why You Should)

Ever wanted to unlock your car with your mobile phone?

Futuristic, don’t you think? Thanks to UWB, the future has arrived.

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UWB stands for Ultra Wide Band and is used as a short-range wireless communication protocol for tracking the location of objects. UWB calculates position within less than half an inch by measuring the time it takes for a short radio pulse to travel between one device and another. UWB was originally designed as a means of transferring data, but it is very useful for modern devices because it can track your location with great precision.

One of the most widely used uses of UWB is: apple air tag, and technology is gaining momentum. Another interesting use of UWB is unlocking cars and smart homes. Automakers such as BMW, Audi, Ford and Hyundai have already claimed that UWB-equipped devices will one day act as digital keys to unlock their cars. Other use cases include home keyless entry, manufacturing and logistics, sports, asset tracking, and more.

with iOS android The device can use UWB. However, the list of phones that work with UWB is surprisingly short and consists of:

• apple iPhone11, 12, 13and 14
• apple watch Series 6, 7, 8 and Ultra.
• google pixel 6 pro and 7 pro.
• samsung galaxy note 20, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, Galaxy S23, Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z fold 4.
• Xiaomi mix 4.

If you have one of the phones above, you can use UWB to unlock your car or do other nifty things. Of course, not all cars work with his UWB. For example, my Mini Cooper is too old to be supported. My wife’s car on the other hand works fine. The good news is that UWB is gaining popularity and we can expect more cars and devices to support this technology. UWB is also capable of pinpointing locations, so we’re sure we’ll find more use cases in the near future.

For example, with UWB enabled, your car will (eventually) recognize the device and automatically unlock when you get close enough to your phone. I think this feature would put the brakes on many thriller movies and TV series where bad guys kidnap or assault people struggling to unlock their cars.

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Note: Even if your phone is listed above, UWB may not be fully functional yet. For example, Samsung S21 is listed and UWB is in Android settings. However, when I search for his UWB in the Settings app, it does show UWB, but[接続]I go to the page and there is no UWB listed there. The S21 is listed as supported, but Samsung is rolling it out to the S21+ and S21 Ultra only. So if you don’t find a UWB option available on your phone that is listed as supported, hopefully it will come in an update eventually.

The UWB range looks like this:

• Range: 30 to 600 feet (10 to 200 meters)
• Accuracy: 0.1-0.5 m (0.33-1.64 ft)

UWB not only has a longer range, but it is also very accurate.

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A small number of Android phones support UWB, but you would like to know how to enable it (if your car supports this feature). Let me explain how it is done.

How to enable UWB on Android

Things necessary: To enable UWB, you need an Android device that supports that protocol.I will try to demonstrate this myself pixel 7 pro I’m running Android 13.

At this point UWB is enabled.

If your car supports this protocol, you should be able to set it to unlock automatically when you get close to it.

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One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you may need to install an app on your car or configure this feature through your car’s system. This process varies from car to car, so be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions on linking your phone to your car.