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Apple’s AirTag is an amazing device. This is a small tracker that you can hide inside your luggage, car, handbag, or anything else you want to find. But note the word “hide.” If you can do it, so can others. New features to address these stalking-related concerns are coming to AirTag in the coming weeks.
Apple Airtag.
Washington Post (via Getty Images)
Updates for April 6th are as follows. This post was first published by him on April 4, 2024.
The first developer beta of iOS 17.5 has been released. This is the next iPhone software update scheduled for general release soon (read more here to find out exactly when), and the code reveals a lot about what’s to come.
For example, 9to5Mac mentions alerts for third-party item trackers. This all falls in line with Apple’s efforts last year in collaboration with Google to propose industry standards to prevent malicious use of his Bluetooth trackers.
Now, the mention of software suggests that the Find My app will identify tracking accessories even if they’re not AirTags. If found, it will notify the iPhone user, “This item is not authorized on the Apple Find My network.” You can disable this item to not share your location with its owner. To do this, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of this product on its website. ”
Currently, iPhone software can detect Bluetooth trackers, but only those certified by Apple. This is changing and represents a huge step forward.
And it’s probably no coincidence that today Google announced that it will be launching its own Find My Device network within the next three days, either Sunday April 7th or Monday April 8th. This is according to an email sent by Google, as reported by 9to5Google. . This means that “Find New Devices Network lets you find your devices even when you’re offline. It also lets you find compatible Fast Pair accessories even when you’re disconnected from your device.” This includes compatible earphones or headphones, and trackers that attach to your wallet, keys, bike, etc.”
According to the report, “Google delayed the launch of the network so Apple could apply this protection to iOS for the benefit of iPhone owners, and it looks like it’s finally happening with iOS 17.5.”
In other words, the coming days and weeks are likely to bring big changes to the world of tracking devices.
Updated on April 5th. Further evidence of the system’s ability to detect inappropriate trackers came in recent days from a warning issued by a police officer in Burlington, Vermont.
The warning was issued after two Burlington residents discovered air tags in their cars after returning from a trip to Montreal. It is believed that criminals may be placing air tags on cars to track them and steal them later. mcroomers It has also been raised that trackers may be used to “tag vehicles as part of efforts to move drugs across borders.”
One Burlington resident said he received an alert that his AirTag was on his person and was able to use the Find My app to make a beep and locate the tracker on his front grill.
The iPhone discovered it because it was an AirTag, but new iOS 17.5 software could do the same for non-Apple trackers, and a new Google system will tell Android users if they have an AirTag. You should be able to.
Both systems will go live in the coming weeks, and the software will also be enhanced, meaning one of the most concerning aspects of Bluetooth trackers could be controlled.
Updated on April 6th. More details have emerged about half of Google’s plans, including further hints that the Find My Device network will go live soon. Now it looks like Monday, April 8th, is that day. Google’s network has been in development for a long time, and the company announced last July that it would hold off on its rollout until Apple implemented protections for iOS, expected to arrive in iOS 17.5.
As Ars Technica reports, “Like AirTags and the Tile Network before it, the goal of this project is to enable useful little Bluetooth tracking tags that tell you where things are. Bluetooth tags are ultra-low power and are targeted to last a year on a small battery, which means they don’t have the luxury of being used for GPS. You can “borrow” a smartphone’s GPS chip so it can report your location. Your phone scans Bluetooth tags, even those you don’t own, records your approximate location, and uploads it to the cloud. This is all done anonymously and only the owner of the tag can see its location, but everyone in the network helps build a crowdsourced global object tracking network. ” By the way, this is one of the best explanations of how “Find My” works that I’ve come across.
Google is also rumored to be developing its own tracker hardware, but that hasn’t happened yet. This could be the perfect time for Google to announce it, especially with the Google I/O conference coming up on his May 14th.
Even without the Google tag, it seems very likely that Google is ready for a bargain end. As soon as iOS 17.5 is generally released in May, it will significantly enhance the safer experience for tracker users and tracker users. I’m worried about being tracked without my knowledge.
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