If an unknown tracker moves with an Android or iOS user over time, they will get a notification.
The project that Apple and Google have been working on for a long time to help users become aware of unwanted Bluetooth trackers that may have been installed on them has finally been successful. Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers is the name of the industry standard that the companies have created along with their partners. In the event that an individual is being tracked with one of those devices, it is now feasible to send a notification to them via iOS or Android.
The individual will receive a notification that states “[Item] Found Moving With You” whenever an unknown Bluetooth device is observed moving with them over a period of time. This notification will be sent regardless of the platform that the tracker is integrated with. Beginning today, Apple and Google are progressively implementing the capabilities across all devices running Android 6.0 and later, as well as in iOS 17.5.
In May of last year, the firms made the announcement that they would be working together to address this problem, with support from industry partners such as Samsung and Tile. According to Apple, Chipolo, Eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee are among the firms that have stated that their upcoming Bluetooth tags would be compatible with the new standard.
In the three years after Apple began selling AirTags, there have been reports of criminals using the devices to monitor people and steal cars. These reports began to emerge not long after Apple began selling AirTags. In a short amount of time, Apple began working on ways to make it more difficult for stalkers to utilize AirTags in an illegal manner, and it continued to enhance its approach to this problem over time. Additionally, in late 2021, the firm developed an Android application with the purpose of assisting individuals in determining whether or not an AirTag had been placed on them. However, the new technique will take an operating system-level approach to warning individuals about unwanted trackers across both platforms.
Legal objections have been brought against Apple in relation to the stalking of AirTags. During the month of March, a court in San Francisco denied the company’s request to dismiss a class-action lawsuit that was filed about the matter.
There is something odd about the timing of the rollout of the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers alert. Rumors have been circulating for a long time that Google is now developing its very own Bluetooth tracker. Considering that the company’s I/O developer conference is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, it is possible that such a device is set to be revealed.