Apple Enhancing AirTags Anti-Stalking Measures With Android App and Shorter Sound Intervals
Apple is enhancing AirTags security to prevent stalking using the Bluetooth devices, Apple told CNET today. Apple is already sending out over-the-air updates to AirTags that will shorten the amount of time before an unknown AirTag alerts you if it is in your possession.

At the current time, AirTags play a sound after three days of being away from their owner. After the update, AirTags will begin playing at a random time in a window after eight hours and within 24 hours.
Apple is also working to create an app for Android devices that will let them detect an unknown AirTag or Find My network-enabled item that is found to be traveling with them, which will prevent AirTags from being used to stalk Android users.
AirTags are designed to play a sound when away from their owner and will also alert iPhone owners if there's an unknown tag nearby, but Apple has been criticized because it's anti-stalking measures do not go far enough. The Washington Post's Geoffrey Fowler in May penned an article that outlined how AirTags could be used for covert stalking, and one of his main criticisms was the lack of alerts for iPhone users.
His other critique was that the three-day sound timer on AirTags resets whenever it's near the owner's phone, potentially allowing for spousal abuse and stalking, so Apple is working to address both of these issues.
The Android app will be released later this year, and the sound updates for AirTags will be automatically applied when an AirTag is near an iPhone.
Popular Stories
All of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled, as confirmed by The Verge's Allison Johnson during a Q&A session today. The new setting is separate from the pre-existing Optimized Battery Charging feature on iPhones, which intelligently delays charging past 80% until a more...
In June, Apple announced iOS 17 with a wide range of new features and changes for the iPhone. Following over three months of beta testing, the free software update will be released this Monday, September 18 for the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have recapped 10 key features coming to the iPhone with iOS 17, with additional features coming later this year. The update should be released to...
Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Juli CloverApple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
As Apple was announcing new iPhone models last week, the Unicode Consortium was officially approving new emoji characters that are set to be added to smartphones starting in 2024. Mockup of new emoji from Emojipedia Approved Unicode 15.1 emoji include phoenix, lime, an edible mushroom, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake), and broken...
Top Rated Comments
As far as the android app, that is great.
That being said - if someone really wanted to stalk another person, there are literally thousands of cheap devices, GPS locators, etc. available on the web for those interested in such actions.
I also wonder how many people are now inspired to stalk their SO after reading all about these concerns about stalking.