New App Bridges the Mobile OS Gap to Help Locate Lost Phones
A new application, RingIt, launched by belgian developer Gaëtan Van Den Berge, solves a common frustration: locating a misplaced phone when the owner is unable to assist and uses a different operating system. The free app, available for both Android and iOS, allows users to remotely trigger a loud alarm on a friend or family member’s phone, even if its silenced or in “Do Not Disturb” mode.
The problem arises from the walled-garden nature of existing “find my phone” features. Apple’s “Find My” is exclusive to Apple devices, and Google offers similar functionality primarily for locating paired devices. This leaves users with mixed-OS households at a disadvantage when a phone goes missing. simply calling the phone is often ineffective, as many users keep their ringers off.
“I kept misplacing my phone, often while it was on silent, and I’d repeatedly ask her, ‘Do you know where my phone is?’ I remember thinking how nice it would be if she could just make my phone ring loudly from her own device, even if mine was muted,” Van Den Berge explained regarding the inspiration behind ringit.
The app focuses solely on this core functionality, prioritizing user privacy by collecting only email addresses for verification purposes-it does not track location or other user data.
Setup is straightforward: download the app, verify your email address with a code sent to your inbox, and grant notification permissions. Granting notification permissions is crucial, as the app requires the ability to override “Do Not Disturb” settings to function correctly.
