A few months ago, 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo reported that Apple is working on a new Tile-like item tracker accessory for tracking the location of belongings through the new merged Find My app. The report said the "tag" would be paired to a user's iCloud account and rely on proximity to an iPhone.
/article-new/2019/06/apple-item-tracker.jpg?lossy){kind=tracking}
Like the Tile, users would be able to receive notifications when their device gets too far away from the tag. To avoid false triggers, it would be possible to set a list of common locations to be ignored like a work office so that the item can be left at those locations without the user being notified.
Now, developer Steve Moser and Rambo from 9to5Mac have uncovered references to Apple's item tracker within iOS 13 code.
What is Tag1,1? Could this be the Tile like device? #WWDC19 /cc @markgurman @stroughtonsmith @_inside pic.twitter.com/Xg6tVMXVZe — Steve Moser (@SteveMoser) June 4, 2019
Rambo:
Now, the first beta of iOS 13 includes an asset package for a device with the product type "Tag1,1". This type of asset package is used for pairing devices by proximity, the same way as AirPods and HomePod can be paired to a user's device.
Another asset found on iOS 13 beta 1 also gives us a glimpse as to what this device will look like. It's likely a mockup used for testing that was left out in the OS, but it matches descriptions of the device given by people involved in its development.
It is unclear if and when Apple plans to release the item tracker, which is only known by its B389 codename, but one possibility is that it arrives alongside new iPhones and the public release of iOS 13 in September.
Top Rated Comments
For those who don't.... imagine scenarios like you take your kid to a summer festival. There are arts and crafts, musicians, booths selling things, kid bounce houses, etc.
There are many times where the crowds are completely packed like sardines in certain sections. You can put your kid on your head, or hold their hand, but if you have more than 1 (and you're carrying diaper bags, etc) or they see something they'll pull free from your grasp (kids are slippery than you think!) and run, and you can't find them as you're 3 feet taller and they're under there somewhere.... easiest to use have a leash.
At 1 or 2, they won't listen to you no matter how well you parent. By the time they're 3 or 4, they understand things.
We thought we'd never do this as parents either, and laughed at those. But wait until you're a parent in certain situations!