Code in iOS 14.3 suggests that Apple is rolling out the groundwork to add support for third-party item trackers to the Find My app, as well as additional support for AirTags.
Apple alongside iOS 14 launched a Find My Network Accessory Program that's designed to allow third-party products and accessories to integrate with the Find My app. With these feature, users can track third-party lost items directly on their Apple devices using the Find My app.
It is, in fact, similar to the AirTags that Apple is working on, but for third-party products. It's not yet clear what manufacturers plan to implement this functionality, but it seems like it could be added to a range of different Bluetooth devices.
There are several strings of code in iOS 14.3 that hint at how it will work, with the info discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
You are connecting to an item that is paired to someone else's Apple ID.
This item has been moving with you for a while.
The owner can see its location.
This item was seen nearby.
The owner of this item will be able to see its location.
Replace battery on [item] soon.
This item is not supported. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, you may need to contact the manufacturer.
Change or charge the battery for this item and try again.
This device doesn't support Bluetooth. Bluetooth is required to connect your item.
Adding items is not supported on this device.
Contact the manufacturer of this device to learn if Find My is supported.
Make sure the item is nearby and ready to connect.
To add items to Find My, you'll need to first update your account security.
You have added the maximum number of items to your Apple ID. You can add another item once you remove one.
Turn on precise location to more accurately locate the distance between you and your friends, devices, and items.
Removing this item will allow it to be set up and used by another person and it will no longer be linked to your Apple ID.
You can learn more about lost items, or see if the owner has left a message, by connecting to it.
Select an emoji and name that best represents your item.
If this item is not familiar to you, learn how to disassemble it and stop sharing your location.
Keep track of your everyday items by adding Find My compatible accessories.
The beta also includes related icons (one of which may unveil the design of AirPods Studio) and some AirTags images that we've previously seen, all under the codename "Hawkeye."
It's not clear when we might see the first items that are able to integrate with the Find My app, but it appears that Apple is gearing up for support so we could perhaps be seeing some Find My-compatible Bluetooth items in the near future.
Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update.
Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September.
Below, we recap the key...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then.
We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025.
iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
There have been complaints about ...
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage.
The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...
Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:16 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 comes two weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4.
Mac users can download the macOS Sequoia update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15.
According to...
It's pretty clear they needed to get this out first to avoid anti-cometiticive lawsuits before releasing AirTags. Once 14.3 is out, I bet we'll see AirTags finally launch.
It's pretty clear they needed to get this out first to avoid anti-cometiticive lawsuits before releasing AirTags. Once 14.3 is out, I bet we'll see AirTags finally launch.
If anything for me it was Tile that was coming across anti competitive by crying about Apple potentially launching tags before they have even been released. Tile could always try making their own phone. Spotify is another one that just whinges. And state Apple has an unfair advantage then Spotify brags about how many users they have. These other companies do not appear to be that smart.
Apple dodging those anti-competitive lawsuits preemptively now ?
Tile can make as much noise as they want. I bought one of their trackers a couple of years back, and it was a horrible experience. You couldn’t pay me to use them ever again.
Is it anti-competitive when Apple has a legitimately superior product that threatens to marginalise your entire business model? Or is it just a sign that you are unfit to compete, like BlackBerry, Pebble, and numerous other competitors that Apple has laid waste to?
