Apple and Google collaborated to develop a tech that can detect unwanted location trackers
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- Apple and Google have been worked together to develop this spec after several lawsuits around the world exposed the illegal usage of Bluetooth trackers.
Both iOS and Android platforms support Bluetooth tracking devices. Unfortunately, some users are misusing the trackers to illegally track other users. In order to prevent such cases, Apple and Google worked together to create Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers spec for Bluetooth tracking devices. With this technology, iOS and Android will be able to alert users if such an unknown Bluettoth device is being used to track them. Apple is implementing this capability in iOS 17.5, and Google is rolling out this feature to all Android 6.0+ devices.
When an unknown Bluetooth tracker device is moving with a user for a longer period of time, they will get an “[Item] Found Moving With You” alert on their device. When such alert is displayed on their phone, users can view the tracker’s identifier, play a sound on the tracker to help locate it, and access instructions to disable it. Bluetooth tag manufacturers including Chipolo, eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee will be releasing tags based on this new tech in the future.
“This cross-platform collaboration — also an industry first, involving community and industry input — offers instructions and best practices for manufacturers, should they choose to build unwanted tracking alert capabilities into their products. Apple and Google will continue to work with the Internet Engineering Task Force via the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers working group to develop the official standard for this technology,” wrote Apple on their press release.
