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Android users will soon have access to Apple’s Find My network, which is thought to allow users of both Apple and Android platforms to find lost or stolen devices and protect them from unwanted stalkers.
Apple’s three-year-old Find My network isn’t perfect, but it does make it easier to track devices, family members, and specific items with Find My support.
There are some issues. It may fail if the device cannot be detected. Law enforcement does not always take action even if they are informed of the location of a stolen device. And stalkers are known to use these devices to track people who don’t want to be tracked. This last concern should be remedied once Apple and Android support it.
What did Apple and Google promise?
Apple and Google announced plans to work together to combat unwanted stalkers using tracking services nearly a year ago, agreeing to partner on the Find My network. They pledged to develop a draft standard to prevent unauthorized use of Bluetooth location tracking devices, and with support from other manufacturers such as Samsung and Tile, the draft specification was approved by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). ) was submitted.
what this means
This news has two pillars.
- People who use AirTags or other compatible devices to track others without their permission will be alerted to the fact that they are being tracked, making it difficult to track them. There have been complaints about this type of activity ever since Apple introduced AirTags.
- This also means that Android users will be able to track their devices using the Find My network, allowing it to collect signals from both Android and Apple devices. This should benefit users of both platforms, as it means the Find My network itself will grow. At the moment, we only rely on Apple devices.
structure
“The Find New Device network helps you find your device even when you’re offline,” the email from the company says. This email also explains how to use this system to track various compatible devices and how it works. Android users can opt out of tracking systems if they wish.
To summarize the online reports, the system works as follows. If you use a compatible device and we detect that you’re being tracked, you’ll receive a notification alerting you. You can also disable trackers from your device. iPhone users will see the following message: “This item is not certified on the Apple Find My network. You can disable this item to prevent it from sharing your location with its owner. To do this, the manufacturer of this item Please follow the instructions provided on our website.”
What Google said About “Search”
“Find new devices network helps you find your device even when you’re offline,” an email from Google explains. This email also explains how to use this system to track various compatible devices and how it works. Android users can opt out of tracking systems if they wish.
What is not yet clear is whether this support will extend to all Android devices, or all devices from all manufacturers running the current iteration of the OS. It seems likely that it will be supported on current devices. This feature has actually been discovered by Android users running Google Play Services Beta 24.12.14.
What happens next?
After nearly a year of work, it looks like Find My is finally ready to go cross-platform, with Google reaching out to some Android users to let them know the network will be launching in “a few days.” I told you.
The long time between the system’s announcement last year and product shipment reflects the deliberate nature of the standards specification process. News of the decision to collaborate on Find My was followed by a three-month review, updating the original specifications and once the specifications were set, work was carried out on the operating systems of the relevant devices.
When will it be available?
The introduction of Find My support on Android may also require Apple to update its own devices to support the new specifications. This could mean either Apple accelerates the rollout of iOS 17.5 (which is unlikely given the beta was just released and is expected in May) or another way to introduce cross-platform support. This suggests that you may have found . It’s probably already built into your system. iOS 17.5 is important for two additional reasons. Not only will it allow an EU developer to sell software directly from his website to his iPhone users, but it will also allow enterprise users to: Force beta version during automatic device enrollment.
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