A typical scenario faced by individuals is losing track of their personal belongings. But, there are innovations and devices nowadays that can help them stay on top of their valuables, such as Apple’s AirTag.
AirTag has the power to ensure you will never lose track of your valuables, such as your bags, when you are traveling, for instance. How does it do this? Well, your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that nearby devices in the Find My network can detect. These devices then send the location of your AirTag, which you have inside your bag or purse, to iCloud. Then, you proceed to the Find My app and see where it is on the map.
These location-tracking gadgets are proving helpful when looking for your items, like your keys, purses, luggage, and more, via crowdsourced finding networks. But because things here adopt crowdsourcing, this technology has been a victim of misuse and unwanted tracking of individuals.
A recent partnership between Google and Apple is finally ending this fear.
The two companies released a joint announcement yesterday stating they will collaborate to lead an industry-wide initiative to draft an industry specification that would alert the users of those Bluetooth devices in case there are threats of unwanted tracking.
Furthermore, other companies like Samsung, Chipolo, Tile, Pebblebee, and eufy Security have also expressed support for the draft specification, which also provides best practices and instructions for manufacturers, should they opt to bring the capabilities from this partnership into their products.
“Bluetooth trackers have created tremendous user benefits, but they also bring the potential of unwanted tracking, which requires industrywide action to solve,” Dave Burke, Google’s vice president of Engineering for Android, stated.
Burke also added that Android is firmly committed to protecting its users, and will keep pushing forward to develop robust safeguards and collaborate with the industry to help fight the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices.
Aside from seeking feedback from the companies mentioned earlier, the partnership also integrates inputs from different safety and advocacy groups to make things even more possible. These include the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Center for Democracy & Technology.
“Apple launched AirTag to give users the peace of mind knowing where to find their most important items,” Apple’s vice president of Sensing and Connectivity, Ron Huang, said in a statement. “We built AirTag and the Find My network with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking — a first in the industry — and we continue to make improvements to help ensure the technology is being used as intended.”
Huang added this new industry specification is founded upon the protections of AirTag. Through the partnership with Google, he said, this will result in a critical step forward to help mitigate unwanted tracking not just across iOS but also across Android.
