Apple today released a new "Tracker Detect" app on the Google Play Store, with the app designed to allow Android users to locate AirTags that might be nearby.
According to the app's description, Tracker Detect looks for item trackers that are separated from their owner and that are compatible with the Find My Network, so it will locate AirTags and other Find My-enabled devices like the Chipolo Bluetooth item tracker.
Apple says that Android users can scan to find a nearby AirTag if they think that someone is using an AirTag or another device to track their location. The app is designed to alleviate fears from experts worried that AirTags can be used maliciously to track the location of individuals.
For iPhone users, Apple previously introduced several safety features, including an alert that will let an iPhone user know if an AirTag that does not belong to them is following them. There was no such protection for Android users prior to the introduction of the Tracker Detect app, which Apple said it was working on back in June.
An Apple Support document on the feature says that if the app detects an AirTag or Find My-compatible item tracker nearby for at least 10 minutes, a sound can be used to help locate it. Conducting a scan will reveal any nearby AirTags, and after offering up a tool to play a sound to locate the AirTag, Apple will offer information on how to disable it by removing the battery.
Weird how so many people have been criticizing Apple about detecting unknown AirTags and you never heard anything like that in all the years that Tile has been operating.
I think the rush for ways to detect unknown AirTags actually makes them significantly less useful. I was able to recover a stolen item worth over $2k because of an AirTag--the thief was charged and currently in jail but if my AirTag had alerted him to its presence it would have defeated the whole point.
So I got the app, I have to manually open it and force it to scan. So the onus is still on the user. I have to THINK I'm being tracked and then search for if I am being tracked or not. I wish it would just prompt you as soon as it detected something just like iOS does.
Apple's new AirTag item trackers are ideal for attaching to things like bags and luggage cases, which makes it likely they'll become popular with travelers and backpackers who want to keep tabs on their personal possessions abroad. For this reason, it's worth remembering which AirTag features work wherever you are, which ones depend on you being nearby the AirTag, and which functions aren't...
Apple's AirTags are being used in an increasing number of targeted car thefts in Canada, according to local police.
Outlined in a news release from York Regional Police, investigators have identified a new method being used by thieves to track down and steal high-end vehicles that takes advantage of the AirTag's location tracking capabilities. While the method of stealing the cars is largely ...
Tuesday February 22, 2022 11:36 am PST by Juli Clover
The newly released fourth beta of iOS 15.4 introduces the anti-stalking AirTag changes that Apple announced earlier this month, providing a setup warning that using an AirTag or another Find My-linked item to track someone without consent is a crime.
"You can locate this item using the Find My network," reads the setup screen. "Using this item to track people without their consent is a crime ...
After years of waiting for the AirTags to debut, launch day is finally upon us and AirTags are now in the hands of customers. We got our AirTags in the mail today and thought we'd share a hands-on look for those who are still waiting for their orders or debating whether AirTags might be useful.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. As you probably know by now, AirTags...
Amazon today has Apple's AirTag 4-Pack for $89.00, down from $99.00. The accessory is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, and currently only Amazon is offering this sale on the AirTag. There is only a discount on the AirTag 4-Pack right now on Amazon, not on the 1-Pack option.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may ...
AirTags, until their official announcement earlier this month, had remained one of the most rumored Apple products of the last few years. Initial reports about an Apple item tracker began to surface in 2019, and in the entirety of the two years that followed, AirTags' release seemed to be constantly imminent.
Last week, FCC filings revealed that Apple began seeking regulatory approval and...
Wednesday April 21, 2021 1:53 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's AirTag item trackers let you track things like your keys, wallet, purse, backpack, or luggage, and if an AirTag is separated from its owner and out of Bluetooth range, the Find My network can help track it down, thanks to its U1 Wideband chip.
According to Apple, an AirTag that isn't with the person who registered it for an extended period of time will also play a sound when moved,...
Unlike a Tile or some other item trackers, Apple's new AirTag does not have any holes or openings for attaching it directly to a keychain, forcing customers to purchase accessories like a leather key ring for this purpose.
Interestingly, though, MacRumors forum member smythey has proven that it is possible to drill a hole into the AirTag without breaking it, allowing for a string or a thin...
Thursday September 29, 2022 7:44 am PDT by Juli Clover
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce some major improvements in camera technology, adding a 48-megapixel lens and low-light improvements across all lenses with the new Photonic Engine. We've spent the last week working on an in-depth comparison that pits the new iPhone 14 Pro Max against the prior-generation iPhone 13 Pro Max to see just how much better the iPhone 14 Pro Max can be.
Subscrib ...
Friday September 30, 2022 9:11 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern recently traveled to Michigan to test Apple's new crash detection feature on the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Ultra. In response, Apple provided some additional information about how the feature works.
Stern recruited Michael Barabe to crash his demolition derby car with a heavy-duty steel frame into two unoccupied vehicles parked in a junkyard — a 2003...
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models bring over a longstanding Mac feature, but the setting to enable it is off by default.
The feature, which is actually a new accessibility option, allows the iPhone to play a startup chime like the Mac. When enabled, the sound comes alongside a new shutdown chime.
The Mac has featured a startup chime since 1987's Macintosh II, and the iconic "bong"...
Thursday September 29, 2022 1:08 pm PDT by Juli Clover
The third beta of iOS 16.1 that was released earlier this week expands the Adaptive Transparency feature introduced with the second-generation AirPods Pro to the original AirPods Pro.
As noted on Reddit, first-generation AirPods Pro owners who also have the AirPods beta software will now see an "Adaptive Transparency" toggle in the AirPods section of the Settings app. The 5A304A beta...
Thursday September 29, 2022 9:08 am PDT by Sami Fathi
One of the biggest new features in iOS 16 is a completely redesigned iPhone Lock Screen. The new Lock Screen is entirely customizable, letting you change the colors and fonts, add widgets and new wallpapers, and more to make your iPhone uniquely yours. Of course, even before iOS 16, you could customize your Lock Screen with a wallpaper of your choice. iOS 16 takes the Lock Screen wallpaper...
Thursday September 29, 2022 12:38 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Tony Blevins, Apple's vice president of procurement, is set to depart the company after he made a crude comment about his profession in a recent TikTok video, reports Bloomberg.
Blevins was in a video by TikTok creator Daniel Mac, who was doing a series on the jobs of people he spotted with expensive cars. After seeing Blevins in an expensive Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Mac asked Blevins what ...
Thursday September 29, 2022 7:26 am PDT by Sami Fathi
Speaking at Università Degli Studi di Napoli Federico II in Naples, Italy, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that not too long from today, people will wonder how they led a life without augmented reality, stressing the "profound" impact it will have on the not so distant future. At the university, Cook was awarded an Honorary Degree in Innovation and International Management and also sat down for a...
This week's best Apple deals focus on the AirPods Pro, AirPods Pro 2, and M2 MacBook Air, including numerous all-time low prices on these devices. You'll also find up to 50 percent off discounts on Anker and Eufy accessories on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
Friday September 30, 2022 12:51 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been touring Europe this week, sitting down for interviews with various media publications. Augmented reality has been a running theme in Cook's discussions, and it is a topic he brought up again in an interview with Dutch publication Bright, which is part of RTL News.
"I think AR is a profound technology that will affect everything," Cook said, echoing comments from...
Apple is developing new iPad Pro, Mac, and Apple TV models, and at least some of these products will be released in October, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. However, Gurman continues to believe that Apple is unlikely to hold an event this month.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said "the big iPhone 14 unveiling last month was probably it for Apple in 2022 in...
Apple on September 12 released iOS 15.7 and iPadOS 15.7, delivering important fixes for multiple security vulnerabilities, including at least one that has been actively exploited.
Apple's latest mainstream iPhone models come in two sizes with A15 chip, car crash detection, satellite connectivity, and more. iPhone 14 is available now, while iPhone 14 Plus launches on October 7.
Top Rated Comments
I think the rush for ways to detect unknown AirTags actually makes them significantly less useful. I was able to recover a stolen item worth over $2k because of an AirTag--the thief was charged and currently in jail but if my AirTag had alerted him to its presence it would have defeated the whole point.
This was like, the number one potential use of Airtags and they totally nerfed it.