Apple and Google Partner Up to Halt Illegal AirTag Tracking

On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, Apple and Google announced that they would be collaborating to tackle the misuse of lost-item trackers, like Apple's AirTag, to track people without their consent.

The two tech giants came together with the goal of developing an industry standard that will enable both Android and iOS devices to alert users if they are being tracked by unwanted lost-item trackers – including Apple’s AirTags.

Although Apple's AirTags are designed with the goal of helping owners locate personal items that commonly get misplaced, they have been increasingly used to stalk individuals since their release in 2021.

To address this issue, Apple had previously incorporated a detection function into iPhones to identify unfamiliar AirTags near the user.

Apple and Google’s new industry standard will tackle this issue by also allowing Android devices to alert users if they are being tracked by an AirTag.

The feature is expected to be rolled out toward the tail-end of 2023 and will be integrated into all upcoming versions of iOS and Android.

This new change will also allow other lost-item tracker manufacturers, like Samsung or Tile, to develop similar alert features for Apple and Android devices.