Latest AirTags Firmware Update Tunes the Unwanted Tracking Sound for Easier Detection
Earlier this week, Apple began rolling out a firmware update for AirTags, and while it wasn't clear at the time what changes were included in the update, Apple has now revealed in a new support document that it tweaks the sound made by unknown AirTags found to be traveling with you.
AirTag Firmware Update 1.0.301
Tuning the unwanted tracking sound to more easily locate an unknown AirTag.
Apple has made several changes to the way AirTags function since their release in order to address concerns about the trackers being used for stalking purposes. Apple in February announced a suite of changes it would be making with regard to stalking concerns, with some of the changes rolling out in March with iOS 15.4 and others coming later.
One of those changes coming later involved using more of the loudest tones in the tone sequence played by an unknown AirTag to help locate it more easily, and that appears to be what this week's firmware update includes.
Tuning AirTag’s sound: Currently, iOS users receiving an unwanted tracking alert can play a sound to help them find the unknown AirTag. We will be adjusting the tone sequence to use more of the loudest tones to make an unknown AirTag more easily findable.
While not mentioned in the release notes, Apple is rolling this firmware out on a staggered basis, and there is no way to force your AirTags to update. The update was capped at being delivered to 1% of AirTag users as of Tuesday when it started rolling out, which will rise to 10% on May 3 and 25% on May 9, and it will go fully live to everyone on May 13.
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Apple today released a new firmware update designed for the AirTag item trackers. The update has a build number of 1A301 (firmware version 1.0.301), up from 1A291.
There's no word on what new features the firmware might add at this point in time as Apple has not provided release notes.
It is not possible to force an AirTag update, as it's something that's done over-the-air through a...
Wednesday September 15, 2021 9:56 am PDT by
Juli CloverApple this week continued distributing new firmware for the AirTags that first rolled out in August. There have been several minor releases with different build numbers, and behind the scenes, those tweaks were to meter the number of people who were seeing the AirTag update at one time.
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Apple today released a revised version of the AirTags firmware that was first provided to AirTags owners last week. The new internal build number is 1A291c, up from 1A291a.
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Top Rated Comments
Something else to take care of? I haven’t had to take care of anything, with the exception of an update.
How exactly does it add clutter? It’s approximately the size of a quarter.
You said you were ‘fine without them’, so what made you allegedly purchase them in the first place then?
* I just replaced the batteries and 2 of 5 already claim they are low on battery again
* 3 of 5 refused to connect after replacing the batteries because it claimed the battery is too low to connect or something like that (new batteries!). - Somehow they were able to connect just fine using the same batteries after opening the back and pressing the battery against the AirTag with my hand. Once connected, I could put on the back thingy again and they would stay connected.
* Maybe it is my imagination but it seems to hit my battery life on iPhone / iPad a lot ("Find My") always in my over night battery stats
* Getting the annoying notification of my BFs AirTag. They need to add an option to mark an AirTag as known like "I know this AirTag. Please stopp bothering me FOREVER, not just for this day