Google Messages preps Find Hub location sharing integration

Real-time Find Hub location sharing is coming to Google Messages for a more integrated experience on Android.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

At the moment, opening the ‘plus’ menu in a conversation for “Location” just sends your current position as a static Google Maps link. 

Google Messages will soon offer real-time location sharing powered by Find Hub.

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This shortcut looks to bring the experience offered by the Find Hub app to Messages and might include a map view. Durations — For 1 hour, Today only, and Until you turn this off — are unchanged, with link-based sharing also available. 

These strings appear in the latest beta (version 20260220_01_RC00), with the functionality not yet live.

Meanwhile, an update (version 3.1.532-3) to the Find Hub app, which widely rolled out today, suggests that the full experience available in Google Maps is coming to the standalone application. Namely, Find Hub today lacks the location alerts that notify you when someone has arrived or left a place. 

Google looks to be centering location sharing functionality around Find Hub going forward.