Apple improves AirTag protection against tracking
Apple said it plans to improve AirTag protection against unwanted tracking later this year after multiple reports of stalking emerged.
The company notes that users are alerted sooner when an unknown AirTag is detected traveling with them.
They also make it easier to find unknown AirTags by adjusting the tone sequence, which can make them sound louder, while directing people directly to the mysterious AirTag using the ultra-wideband chip available on newer iPhones.
"AirTag is designed to help people locate their personal property, not to track people or someone else's property," the company wrote. We condemn any harmful use of our products.
The company also acknowledges that it is seeing increasing reports of people using AirTag for malicious reasons. She wrote that she is actively working with law enforcement on all requests related to AirTag.
The company says it is updating its algorithm to more quickly inform users that an unwanted tracker may be present.
It also notes that iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 users are able to use a precision search to find out the whereabouts of an unknown AirTag when it's within range, something only the AirTag owner could do previously.
When receiving alerts, Apple also says that it simultaneously starts sending notifications to iPhones when an unknown AirTag first plays a sound alert. This procedure is intended to assist in cases where the AirTag speaker may have been tampered with.
Regarding audio alerts, Apple also says it emphasizes higher tones in the future. The company explains that anyone who sets up AirTag sees a new privacy warning stating that it is a crime to use AirTag for unwanted tracking.
The message also highlights that victims are notified upon discovery and that law enforcement agencies can request identification information for an AirTag owner.
Apple Makes Unknown AirTag Alert You Soon
The company also said it's updating support documents to include detailed explanations of what might trigger an alert, as well as providing resources for what to do after you receive an alert.
Apple says these updates will be available later this year. She declined to talk about the length of time for notifications to arrive.
Users currently receive an alert in a random period of 8 to 24 hours as soon as an unknown AirTag is detected traveling with them.
While the voice alert improvements are beneficial to Android users, the other features are not. Currently, Android users have to manually search for unknown AirTags using the separate Tracker Detect app.
Object trackers have long been used to hunt people down. But the phenomenon has become increasingly noticeable since the launch of AirTag. The reason is due to the popularity of Apple, the ease of use and the price of AirTag.
