Apple Bolsters AirTags Privacy Measures, To Offer Android Detector App Later This Year (cnet.com) 20
Apple said it's adjusting its approach to its AirTags sensors, changing the time they play an alert when separated from their owner, and also creating new ways to warn people an unexpected AirTag or Find My network-enabled device is nearby. From a report: The tech giant said Thursday it's begun sending out updates to its AirTags, changing the window of time they'll make noises when potentially being used to track another person. Initially, the Apple device would play in three days. Now it'll begin to play at a random time inside a window that lasts between 8 and 24 hours. To further reassure people about its AirTags, Apple said it's developing an app for Android devices that will help people "detect" an AirTag or Find My network-enabled device that may also be unsuspectedly "traveling" with them. Apple iPhones already have a similar alert system built into their devices. The Android app will be released later this year.
You much better detection (Score:1, Insightful)
Plus poor people have only androids, so if you want to find your stolen thing you really need detectors on the phones the criminals use.
Re: You much better detection (Score:2)
You mean they aren't "apple picking"?
Re: (Score:2)
It's worse than that, the app is to help you detect when someone has placed an Airtag tracker on you.
GPS trackers will cellular have a very limited battery life. An Airtag, or similar device, runs for a year on the battery. The speaker can be disconnected.
Re:Offering android app eh? (Score:4, Insightful)
There's 10 androids for every 1 iPhone user. That makes a more useful network, and Tile knows it.
I know they're easy to get confused, but Amazon and Google are two different companies. Google is the company that made Android. Amazon is the one working with Tile [arstechnica.com]. Notably, Amazon's Sidewalk network that Tile will be using is far smaller than iOS' network, particularly on a global scale. It'd also be even smaller than Android's if that were a thing.
There's 10 androids for every 1 iPhone user. That makes a more useful network
If the Android network you're talking about existed, which it doesn't, maybe so, but by the time you have billions of devices in the field, which both OSes do, it really doesn't matter; you've long-since passed the "good enough" point. Oh, and the actual global number is more like 5:1 at the moment, not 10:1, though it currently sits closer to 1:1 in places like the US and UK, and has for the last few quarters. Again, however, we're dealing with installed bases of billions of devices, so unless you're an iPhone user wanting to use AirTags in a region of the world where iOS devices are unaffordable or unavailable, either would be fine.
iPhone 'find my' coverage not as good as you thought eh?
The Android app doesn't contribute to the Find My network. As the summary said, the app is being made available as an anti-stalking measure: run it and—in addition to the AirTag using its built-in speaker to make a sound after it's separated from its owner—you'll be alerted if an unrecognized AirTag starts traveling with you.
It's a blatant PR move on Apple's part: while Tile has been on the market for years with most of these exact same issues, Apple wanted to one-up Tile, so they called attention to various anti-stalking measures they built into iOS and AirTags that made them superior to what Tile was selling, which then led to scrutiny of their measures, which then led to people finding glaringly obvious holes like forgetting that AirTags can be used to stalk Android users, which is now forcing Apple to bring these features to Android. We all know no one will ever install the app, and we all know that even a half-assed measure is an improvement on what had been the status quo, but Apple has to port the feature from iOS anyway so they can point to it when questions come up, say "we care about everyone", and then put the complaint to bed.
Cops. Again. (Score:3)
Oh man, are cops going to get all over this one, same as they did with Ring cameras. I give it 12 months and then /. has an entry on how cops suddenly have to go through some imaginary process to gain access to your AirTags account information. Apple will claim not to log information, you know like how VPN-as-a-service always claims, but it will turn out they really do and then they share logs with LEOs with a simple request, or no request at all just give them a backdoor admin account.
That's the trend behind all this. I don't see it ending ever. Autonomous cars will be handled exactly the same, same as ride-share is handled now, same as Ring, same as smartphone, same as smarthome. Every use of technology will become a way to monitor users 24/7.
Will anyone care? I doubt it. It's all about fighting terrorism. Or something. Whatever. It's already impossible to unplug and survive. Next year it will likely be illegal, too. Unplug -- escape the Panopticon prison -- and you must be up to something criminal, so go to jail or Gitmo.
*sigh*
Re:Cops. Again. (Score:4, Insightful)
Apple will claim not to log information, you know like how VPN-as-a-service always claims, but it will turn out they really do and then they share logs with LEOs with a simple request, or no request at all just give them a backdoor admin account.
You should read about the interaction between Apple and the FBI over the San Bernardino mass-murderer's iPhone.
Apple has shown that even when the public is on the copy's side, they won't create tools to enable access they shouldn't have.
If this happens as you expect, it would be absolutely devastating to Apple's privacy-focused brand, and their stock price would take a huge hit.
I don't trust companies not to work with the cops because it's the right thing to do, but they're consistent on protecting their stock price above all else.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Why would cops car about your lost keys? If they want to track *YOU* they already can. And they don't even have to goto Apple to do it. iPhone, Android, ancient flip phone, or nostalgic Nokia reboot, it doesn't matter; because the phone company *always* knows where you are. They have to, to know what cell to send your calls and messages to. Just from the specific tower, they have your location to within 100 yards up to a mile or so, depending on tower density. Throw in tower triangulation, and they'e g
Air Tags? what the heck are these (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
If that's all you can think of for using a product like that why even browse this site?
Re: (Score:3)
For hunting down my bike when some asshole steals it again.
These “privacy” features really cut down on the utility.
Re: (Score:3)
If there were publicly viewable CCTV cameras everywhere, including in other people's homes, you could recover your stolen bike. But that would be a gross invasion of privacy too.
So, sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to need those privacy features.
Re: (Score:2)
But we're not taking about CCTVs here. The point with trackers like AirTags or Tiles is not to intrude into other peoples' business. The point is that the location of MY stuff... MY bike, or MY backpack, or MY car, or MY keys, or anything of MINE that I choose to attach an AirTag to, is MY business; now and forever. Don't want my AirTag tracking you? Easy, just don't steal MY stuff.
security (Score:1)