Apple has released the Tracker Detect app for Android, intended to help people without an iOS device find out if someone is using an AirTag or other Find My compatible device to track their location.
According to Engadget, when the software finds a nearby AirTag that has been removed from its owner, it will flag it as “Unknown AirTag”. After 10 minutes, users can use the app to ask the tracker to play a sound, making it easier for them to find. At that point, the user can tap the device with their NFC-compatible phone and will receive instructions on how to remove its battery or turn it off.
Launched by Apple earlier this year, AirTag is an accessory born for users to locate personal items (backpacks, keys, or document bags) through the application Find My on iPhone or iPad.
The release of Tracker Detect comes after many cases of bad guys using AirTag to track people. In Canada, for example, police recently warned about thieves using Apple devices to steal expensive cars. In June, in an effort to curb abuse of AirTag devices, Apple updated its trackers to play sounds 8-24 hours after they left the owner instead of after 3 days like when released.
The strange anti-AirTag mechanism is already on iOS
For users of the platform iOS, the Find My application has inherently developed mechanisms to combat AirTag abuses.
Specifically, Find My will issue a notification to warn users when it detects that a strange AirTag is nearby moving along the same route as the device, thereby easily detecting and disabling this strange device. At the same time, the AirTag also contains the owner’s information and can easily “trace” the bad guy by reading the AirTag’s information from NFC.
Track Detecter – AirTag detection app for Android
Currently, Apple has officially released Track Detecter – an application to detect and handle strange AirTag for Android users. Specifically, this application has the ability to identify and disable strange AirTag according to the same principle as Find My.
Track Detecter is a free app that does not require an Apple ID. All users need to do is just download it from CH Play and use it right away. To download, readers can search for “Apple Track Detecter”, or click this link.
To ensure the privacy and safety of users, Android needs to have this feature built into the system as a mechanism to protect users.