Bluetooth technology has come a long way in the past few years. Previously, it would take 10-15 seconds to establish a connection, even with already paired devices. However, things began to change as new technologies were rolled out. Apple's AirPods were a significant step up, as many people were amazed at just how quickly they established a connection.
Google's equivalent—the Fast Pair Service—was announced in October 2017, and became hugely popular. The company has continued to add support for different devices since then, leveraging its partnerships with major Bluetooth SoC manufacturers like Qualcomm and BES Technic.
What Is Google Fast Pair?
The Google Fast Pair Service (GFPS), or Fast Pair, is a proprietary technology from Google that uses Bluetooth Low Energy on supported devices to quickly detect and connect to nearby Bluetooth devices without eating through large chunks of your phone's battery life.
It uses your phone's location to quickly discover nearby devices, and can even show you a picture of products that you're connecting to. For it to work, of course, the accessory you connect to should also be Fast Pair-enabled.
Fast Pair is a much easier way of pairing a Bluetooth device on Android.
How Does Fast Pair Work?
If you have an accessory that supports Fast Pair, just put it in pairing mode. Your Android phone will automatically show you the image of the accessory you're about to connect with.
Once you press Connect, you'll receive a confirmation that the pairing was successful. In some cases, Android will also notify you if a companion app is available for the device. For instance, if you pair headphones like Sony's WH-1000XM4, it'll redirect you to the Play Store's listing of Sony's Companion App.
Google also stores information about your connected accessories and associates it with your Google Account, so it'll automatically be linked to all other Android phones that you use. This is especially handy for users when switching phones; you don't have to pair all your devices again.
Simply sign in to your Google Account, and Google will import all of your saved connections into your new device.
Which Accessories Support Google Fast Pair?
A growing number of popular wireless headphones or earbuds now support Google Fast Pair, including:
Google's line of Pixel Buds
- Samsung Galaxy Buds (all variants)
- Microsoft Surface earbuds
- Sony's WF-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM4
- Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones
- Fitbit trackers
Google is also working with other manufacturers, including JBL, OnePlus, Libratone, Harman Kardon, Bang & Olufsen, and others to roll out Fast Pair on other devices. Google maintains a full list of Fast Pair compatible chipsets. Support for Chromebooks is still not available.
Other Fast Pair Features
Apart from simplifying the pairing process, Google Fast Pair also offers additional management options. Once you're connected, you can see battery levels for your headphones or earbuds (separate indicators for each).
You can personalize your earbuds by setting audio levels for each and even giving them custom names. If the device supports Find My Device, you can enable that as well. This way, in case you lose one of your earbuds while it's still connected to your phone, you can make them ring. Google Fast Pair also lets you zoom into the device's last known location.
Bluetooth Connectivity Continues to Evolve
Bluetooth Low Energy was released in 2011, and since then, almost all mobile phones and other devices now feature this technology. With Fast Pair, it's even easier to see what devices you're connected to, and manage them straight from your phone.
Above all, you don't have to worry about your battery draining rapidly. Since BLE uses AES-128 encryption, you also don't have to worry about security issues, since all transmitted data is heavily encrypted.