Apple's New 'Find My' App for macOS and iOS Can Find Your Devices Even When They're Offline

Monday June 3, 2019 11:58 AM PDT by Mitchel Broussard
Apple's "Find My Friends" app is being revamped in macOS Catalina and iOS 13, and will now be called simply "Find My." The new version of the app combines Find My iPhone and Find My Friends.


The major feature of the updated app is that it can now locate Apple devices that are offline, making it even easier to find your iPhone or MacBook if you ever happen to lose it.

Apple said that when a device is offline and sleeping, it sends out a secure Bluetooth beacon that can be detected by other Apple devices nearby, even the ones owned by other people. This results in a network that works to find lost Apple devices through a secure, encrypted, and anonymous signal relay.

Tag: WWDC 2019
42 comments


Top Rated Comments

(View all)
Avatar
d5aqoëp
11 weeks ago
This feature gets a thumbs up from me.
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
benshive
11 weeks ago

Creepy

Not really. I think it's really cool. Just taking advantage of the fact that you're probably always within a few feet of another iPhone.
Rating: 11 Votes
Avatar
NickName99
11 weeks ago
Wow, this is a really powerful feature. I definitely wouldn’t trust it from anyone but Apple; implemented carelessly, it could potentially lead to offline device hacking.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
ASFx
11 weeks ago

What kind of battery drainage should we expect from a constant Bluetooth signal being emitted? Just curious.....

Bluetooth is an extremely low power tech. if it's anything like the power consumption used on the Tile devices, it will be completely unnoticeable. Tiles run on a single small battery for over a year.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
Codpeace
11 weeks ago
This is super cool! Wow...
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
r98266
11 weeks ago
Creepy
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
chscag
11 weeks ago
Law enforcement is going to love this. :eek:
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
realtuner
11 weeks ago

What kind of battery drainage should we expect from a constant Bluetooth signal being emitted? Just curious.....


Bluetooth beacons (Apple specifically called it a beacon) use next to nothing for power. Your battery will drain faster from your device being in standby than it will from a beacon.
[doublepost=1559590564][/doublepost]

This is great. Should help me find my AirPods when they are left somewhere (in my house) after I drink a few too many beers.


I’m thinking that a device that’s in Airplane mode (either by accident or intentionally done by a thief) can still send out a beacon and allow you to locate it.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
Awsaim
11 weeks ago
Can’t wait to see how this works.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
ASFx
11 weeks ago
Apple is doing something very similar to what Tile does. I think this is a great feature. I've already got a tile in my bags and wallet, etc. So now that the same features will be built right in, I won't have to carry around my Tiles anymore
Rating: 2 Votes
[ Read All Comments ]