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Apple Introduces AirTag

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Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#361

Post by Nextgrid »

adrr wrote: post #347
Nextgrid wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, replaceable batteries in laptops and phones also used to be the status quo and Apple successfully changed that. Just because it’s the status quo wouldn’t prevent Apple from “thinking different”.

They are replaceable just not user replaceable though user's can change it if they buy $10 worth of tools. Just like my car's battery isn't user replaceable unless i buy tools to be able pull the battery out of the battery compartment.

Your car's battery isn't glued in place behind a cover held by screws with an intentionally obscure pattern. Not to mention, car manufacturers don't (yet?) use specialized batteries that only they can source legitimately nor use DRM to make the car reject a perfectly good battery just because it's not the original one that came with it.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#362

Post by sss111 »

themaninthedark wrote: post #247
dbt00 wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the link: "iOS devices can also detect an AirTag that isn’t with its owner, and notify the user if an unknown AirTag is seen to be traveling with them from place to place over time."

But that will only work if you have an Apple device/AirTag app installed right?

>even if users don’t have an iOS device, an AirTag separated from its owner for an extended period of time will play a sound when moved to draw attention to it.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#364

Post by novok »

eli wrote: post #172
r-zip wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to what the other commenter said, Tile products are very flaky. The price difference doesn't matter to me, since Tile's products just don't work.

Tile has been complaining for some time that their products are flaky because new iOS privacy measures prevent them from accessing location data while running in the background, even if the user sets the app permission to "always allow." https://9to5mac.com/2020/04/02/apple-breaking-promises/

Yeah it used to be more reliable until a few OS updates ago, so I definitely believe tile on this front.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#365

Post by andiareso »

snailmailman wrote: post #334
john_payette wrote: post #171

This tag has an U1 chip using Ultra Wide Band (UWB) which means that iPhones 11 and above also equipped with those chips will be able to locate those tags from 80m away with a +/-30cm accuracy. U1 UWB uses short pulses at 6.24GHz and 8.2GHz and positioning is done by combining time of flight (ToF) and angle of arrival (AoA).

I'm really curious how accurate this ends up being. Bluetooth location is one thing, but I've never seen bluetooth that can do anything more accurate than "X meters away" These UWB chips claim to do "X meters away in Y direction". The direction aspect could be revolutionary if it works well. AirTags is the perfect use for it as well.

"+/- 30cm" ?

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#366

Post by FearlessNebula »

eli wrote: post #172
r-zip wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition to what the other commenter said, Tile products are very flaky. The price difference doesn't matter to me, since Tile's products just don't work.

Tile has been complaining for some time that their products are flaky because new iOS privacy measures prevent them from accessing location data while running in the background, even if the user sets the app permission to "always allow." https://9to5mac.com/2020/04/02/apple-breaking-promises/

Android does the same if anyone's wondering

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#368

Post by bredren »

addicted wrote: post #289
serial_dev wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do think it couldn't have happened without Apple doing it first from the big manufacturers. Apple had (and still have) the status and prestige to do anything and make that a standard. If Huawei/Samsung/etc didn't include chargers, didn't use USB or USB C, changed from 3.5 to some proprietary audio jack first, they would have been ridiculed. But once Apple changed these things (except luckily the USB), these compani…

Apple has an ability to drive change that other computer manufacturers don’t. The simple reason is that Apple is the only manufacturer in a specific market. The market for MacOS (or in the case of iDevices, iOS) users. What that means is that Apple can introduce a pretty shitty change and not lose too many customers to other manufacturers because switching from Apple to another manufacturer is much harder than from D…

As a customer, my buy-in is built on the trust that the majority of the time the company is going to make the right call.

If they make the wrong call, they’ll handle it. Or they won’t and you’ll get burned a little bit.

When Apple makes an obvious error, like with the keyboard, or something external is holding back the quality of the product (recent pre-Apple silicon laptops) you do have to sort of pay attention and if possible steer around the problem.

As an example I largely sidelined the weak 2018 MacBook Air and instead invested in maxing out a Mac Mini. That turned out really well for me.

Sometimes, like with the butterfly keyboard, it feels like Apple does not take enough responsibility for screw ups and take greater measures to make customers whole.

This happened recently for me with the iPhone 12 Magsafe Silicon case, which is a good product but flawed in the context of the iPhone upgrade program.

In that way, I think Apple could and should be much more generous about returning value to its customers instead of to shareholders.

If there were any existential threat to Apple, I’d say it’s the need to reward shareholders instead of customers.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#369

Post by drdaeman »

gruez wrote: post #284
drdaeman wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would defeat the purpose of this anti-tracking [counter]measure. One would be able to sneak a tag into someone's bag (or clothes, or car) and track their movement for the whole day. Then get back into tag's proximity to reset the timer.

If your threat model is 1 day, it's pretty hard to use that for any sort of "find lost things" product. If I forgot my keychain at work, is it going to beep the entire night? What if I'm out sick the next day? Is it going to annoy all my coworkers for the entire day?

> If I forgot my keychain at work, is it going to beep the entire night?

No, I don't think so.

As I understand it, the idea is that AirTags would only beep if they detect being moved (probably, accelerometer/motion based, as everything else is probably energy cost-prohibitive). So, no, a forgotten keychain left on a table shouldn't beep on its own, unless someone takes it and carries with themselves for some time. It shouldn't even beep if your coworker notices your keys and moves them to another room for safekeeping.

The idea is that it should eventually alert if you put a tag in someone's back pocket and you or they walk away.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#370

Post by eli »

djrogers wrote: post #367
eli wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think Tile will be allowed to participate? At what cost?

Tile declined to participate...

Interesting. Is it free to join? Would Apple get early looks or veto power over new products? Seems like Tile is in a tough spot no matter what.
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