AirTag
Following Apple and Google's joining forces to combat stalking via tracking devices, screenshots from a forthcoming Android app show how it will alert users to nearby AirTags.
Apple and Google announced their joint work on anti-stalking measures in May 2023, with the first Android app expected to be officially released by the end of the year. Now according to Twitter user and Android journalist Mishaal Rahman, a series of screengrabs from the app have been leaked.
In all, four images have been released with two demonstrating the use of manual tracking. One of those shows what the app displays when there are no tracking devices nearby, while the other "finds" an AirTag and a Pebblebee Clip.
Manual scanning for trackers is obviously only of use when users have sufficient reason to suspect they are being tracked and so want to check. More generally useful will be the options for automatic scanning — and so also its automatic alerts.
"Apple launched AirTag to give users the peace of mind knowing where to find their most important items," said Ron Huang, Apple's vice president of Sensing and Connectivity, at the announcement of Apple's partnership with Google. "We built AirTag and the Find My network with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking — a first in the industry — and we continue to make improvements to help ensure the technology is being used as intended."
"This new industry specification builds upon the AirTag protections," continued Huang, "and through collaboration with Google results in a critical step forward to help combat unwanted tracking across iOS and Android."
Neither Apple nor Google have commented on the screenshots.
