On Monday, Google and Apple said that users of Android and iPhones will begin receiving notifications if there’s a possibility that they’re being tracked by an unidentified Bluetooth device. “Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers” is an industry standard that the two firms have established. Google will deploy the feature for Android 6.0 and above gadgets, while Apple will debut it in iOS 17.5.
Regardless of the platform the device is associated with, users will now receive a warning on their smartphone saying, “[Item] Found Moving With You,” if an unidentified Bluetooth tracking device is observed traveling with them.
The development comes after many reports of tracking using Bluetooth trackers, such as Apple’s AirTags. In May of last year, it was revealed that Apple and Google will collaborate to spearhead a sector-wide campaign aimed at developing a mechanism for notifying customers when their Bluetooth devices are being tracked without authorization.
When Apple introduced AirTags, people rapidly began using them to find ordinary stuff like keys. Nevertheless, the trackers were also taken up by nefarious individuals who utilize them for tracking purposes. In 2021, Apple addressed this issue by releasing the “Tracker Detect” Android app, which enables non-Apple product owners to locate unexpected AirTags nearby.
An OS-level solution is used by the new industry standard that was unveiled on Monday to solve the problem of undesired Bluetooth trackers.
According to Apple, a number of Bluetooth tag manufacturers, including Chipolo, eufy, Jio, Motorola, and Pebblebee, have promised that their upcoming tags would work with the new industry standard.
In order to create the official standard for this technology, Apple and Google have announced that they would persist in collaborating with the Internet Engineering Task Force, an internet standards body, through the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers working group.
