Apple wants to prevent its AirTag’s misuse

Airtag and misuse?

Because evil spirits are using AirTag to track women, steal cars, or break into homes, Apple is going to update its tracker. Whether on Android or iOS, the presence of an unknown AirTag will be notified to the people being tracked, who will be notified more explicitly.

Burglary, harassment, assault, car theft… The AirTag has become a real weapon for some thugs, and Apple obviously could not sit idly by. In a post published on its site, the brand explains that it has planned to add more protective measures to its AirTags to minimize the possibility of malicious spirits using them to track a person or steal a vehicle.

“AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track the people or property of others,” Apple wrote in a press release. We have seen reports of people attempting to misuse it for malicious or criminal purposes. We condemn in the strongest terms any malicious use of our products. »

How to find the problem?

In cooperation with security experts but also legislators, Apple will work to find ways to limit these practices, and in the year, an update will limit these cases. First, Apple is updating its algorithm to notify users more quickly that an unwanted tracker is placed near them. It also says that iPhone 11, 12 and 13 users will be able to use Precision Finding to see exactly where an unknown AirTag is when in range, something only the product owner could do before. Remember that, in Android, Apple has made available Tracker Detect, an application that allows owners of Android smartphones to be alerted to the presence of a cookie made in Apple.

When receiving alerts, Apple also says it will start sending notifications to iPhones at the same time when an unknown AirTag first plays an alert sound. The goal is to compensate for possible choking of the its loudspeaker. Similarly, Apple says it will focus on louder, higher pitched tones in the future.

Contact Swiss Tomato experts for further details!