Apple Aims to Thwart Unwanted AirTag Tracking With Tweaks

Apple said that it has been working with police and safety groups to stop misuse, which it maintained is rare.

By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 11 February 2022 10:47 IST

Apple Aims to Thwart Unwanted AirTag Tracking With Tweaks

Launched early last year, AirTag devices are designed to be affixed to things people tend to lose

Highlights

Apple said that it has been working with police
Newer iPhone models will alert owners of an "unknown accessory detected"
AirTag software is updated to display warning first time it is used

Apple on Thursday announced updates to AirTag coin-sized tracking devices to prevent them from being used to secretly track people instead of just finding lost keys, wallets or other items.

Launched early last year, AirTag devices are designed to be affixed to things people tend to lose, synching wirelessly to iPhone models, iPad devices, or iPod Touch devices to signal where they can be found.

Reports quickly surfaced of AirTags being used for more unscrupulous ends, such as being secretly stuck on a car to later steal it or find out where the owner goes.

[Sponsored] Samsung Galaxy S24: The Ultimate Camera Phone With Smarter On-Device AI

"We've become aware that individuals can receive unwanted tracking alerts for benign reasons, such as when borrowing someone's keys with an AirTag attached," Apple said in a post.

"We also have seen reports of bad actors attempting to misuse AirTag for malicious or criminal purposes."

Apple said that it has been working with police and safety groups to stop misuse, which it maintained is rare.

Apple Brings Limited-Edition AirTag, Beats Studio Buds With Tiger Theme

Newer iPhone models will alert owners of an "unknown accessory detected" when they sense an unidentified AirTag in range.

AirTag software is being updated to display a warning the first time it is used, advising that tracking people without their consent is a crime in many locales and Apple will share the identities of owners with police when warranted.

Apple said it is working on enabling iPhone handsets to more precisely locate AirTag gadgets to help people find any planted without their consent.

"AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person's property," Apple said in the post.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products."

Apple late last year released software so people with Android-powered smartphones can detect if an AirTag is nearby.

Are Oppo's new flagship phones any good? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.