When Apple launched its AirTags, a big problem quickly became apparent with the underlying Bluetooth tracker technology allgreat smart tags out thereuse. While AirTags and products like it are meant to secure your own belongings, they can be misused as stalking devices, snuck into some unwitting person’s bag or vehicle. Apple quickly reacted with a way to detect unknown AirTags moving without their owners alongside you, but there wasn’t a simple way to replicate this on Android or for third-party trackers.
At Google I/O 2023, Google announced that it was working with Apple to create a joint effort meant to reign in unwanted tracking via Bluetooth tags, no matter which company they’re from. This is supposed to be achieved via an overarching industry standard that is used by both Android and iOS. The technology can make it possible to detect unwanted trackers with on-board tools, requiring no extra app downloads. Tracker makers like Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security, and Pebblebee are also on board.
Since then, progress has slowed down a bit. Google pressed ahead and launched an initial method tohelp you detect unwanted trackers, but it’s based on a custom solution rather than the industry-wide standard that Apple is waiting for. It looks like we won’t have to wait too much longer, as Mishaal Rahman spotted that the first version of the “Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers” specification is now available on the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force).
This is the specification that Apple has been waiting for, so it’s likely that the company is now finally getting ready to launch its own version of platform-agnostic unwanted tracker detection. In the meantime, Google is waiting for Apple to do just that to roll out an advanced version of its Find My Device network on Android. This new version is much more on par with what Apple offers with its Find My network (without “Device” in the name), potentially allowing you to find your phone even when it’s powered off.
Given that the year is almost over, unwanted tracking detection on iOS and the advanced Find My Device network on Android will likely only come in 2024. Having more robust solutions in place for both of these features will be a big boost for privacy and theft protection in the future, though.
