Apple rolls out a ‘Tracker Detect’ app on Android for AirTags

Apple’s AirTags work better than most other trackers since it uses other Apple devices, including iPhones, to create a mesh network that helps detect these button-sized devices. A massive network for tracking might sound perfect to find lost devices, but it can also be used to track people.

This legitimate concern was shared by many that anyone could slip an AirTag into someone’s bag or other personal items and track their location. Recently, in Canada, thieves have been using AirTags to track luxury cars to their driveway before stealing them.

Apple had said that it would try and “fix this” back in June this year, and a solution of sorts has arrived, for Android users. The app called ‘Tracker Detect’ is available on the Google Play Store and can be used to set up and manage AirTags.

The app only scans for AirTags and other devices that use Apple’s proprietary “Find My” network.

“Tracker Detect looks for item trackers that are separated from their owner and that are compatible with Apple’s Find My network. These item trackers include AirTag and compatible devices from other companies. If you think someone is using AirTag or another device to track your location, you can scan to try to find it.” - the app description reads.

The Tracker Detect app does not support any background scanning abilities so the app needs to be set up to run scans periodically to check for AirTags. So this means to ensure that there are no AirTags on you, you have to keep opening the app at intervals and let it scan for devices.

As pointed out, this is Apple providing the “bare minimum” despite knowing how tracking features can and have been used to stalk people and for domestic abuse.

Apple does alert Apple owners about unknown AirTags on them but this functionality is available only to those who possess an iPhone running iOS 14.5 or newer. AirTags also emit sounds randomly within 8 to 24 hours if they are separated from the owner and their paired devices.

The Tracker Detect app essentially gets the same support to Android devices but without the background scanning feature.

While this does appear to be too little too late, at least Apple has an option for Android users to find out if they are being tracked with an AirTag.

Also Read: YouTuber sends AirTag to Tim Cook, Elon Musk and North Korea, here is what happened next

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