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Apple Introduces AirTag

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Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#181

Post by captn3m0 »

tchanglington wrote: post #168
crazygringo wrote: post #71

I thought one of the big use cases for this was to track stolen items, like a backpack or maybe even a bicycle. But the "anti-stalking" feature will notify someone if an AirTag they don't own appears to be traveling with them. Does this render it useless for anti-theft, then? Since it will just notify a thief that the bike they just stole is being tracked, and they can look for the AirTag and throw it in the nearest…

It’s going to be real funny if non Apple users are basically fair game for AirTags tracking and you have to get an iPhone to protect yourself from AirStalking

Apparently they can be disabled with any NFC enabled device: https://apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/apple-introduces-airtag/

>[...] And 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. If a user detects an unknown AirTag, they can tap it with their iPhone or NFC-capable device and instructions will guide them to disable the unknown AirTag.

It is better supported on iPhones, but that's acceptable:

>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.

I'd like this detection to come in stock Android, similar to how the Contact Tracing thing was shared b/w Apple/Google.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#182

Post by eli »

phlyingpenguin wrote: post #80
ffggvv wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah but they can’t use apples internal apis to track things. so apple gets to cheat unfairly on ios

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/04/apples-find-my-networ...

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

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#183

Post by duskwuff »

tinus_hn wrote: post #148
_23sd wrote: post #48

I had a Tile set that I put on my keys, backpack, wallet and luggage. In the end it was too annoying with bluetooth usage draining my phone's battery and not working reliably enough when I needed it, now all the Tile stuff is sitting in a drawer. Maybe Apple can do better with their attention to UX but the main thing I learned is that these things are a whole lot less useful than they might sound. Apple probably need…

Modern Bluetooth does not drain batteries. How do you think they can run a tag on a button cell for a year?

Bluetooth is pretty power-thrifty, yes. But the Tile app was kind of power-hungry, since it had to wake up the phone's CPU periodically to keep track of which devices were in range.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#184

Post by rp1229 »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #139
mlindner wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And 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. So even non-Apple users will get alerted if they're being tracked with it.

Does this mean that if your phone dies or you turn it off during a movie your keys will randomly beep at you?

No -- it has be 'over time' which can be inferred to mean more than 2 hours.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#185

Post by DangerousPie »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #139
mlindner wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And 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. So even non-Apple users will get alerted if they're being tracked with it.

Does this mean that if your phone dies or you turn it off during a movie your keys will randomly beep at you?

I suspect "an extended period of time" will not be an hour two.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#186

Post by burlesona »

rootbear wrote: post #165
burlesona wrote: post #100

The "commercial" they used to introduce this during the event was hilarious and awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbApA2JLZ_c

The music is a strange, interesting riff on the Aquarium movement of Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals , not the usual Apple modern pop stuff.

Yeah I loved that, it really fit the notion of being lost, swimming in the space under your couch cushions haha :)

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#187

Post by gruez »

basisword wrote: post #142
crazygringo wrote: post #71

I thought one of the big use cases for this was to track stolen items, like a backpack or maybe even a bicycle. But the "anti-stalking" feature will notify someone if an AirTag they don't own appears to be traveling with them. Does this render it useless for anti-theft, then? Since it will just notify a thief that the bike they just stole is being tracked, and they can look for the AirTag and throw it in the nearest…

I thought it was intended for lost items rather than stolen items. I've had my phone stolen multiple times and thieves know exactly what to do to prevent 'find my' activating. I'm sure it wouldn't take them long to find/disable AirTags either.

>I've had my phone stolen multiple times and thieves know exactly what to do to prevent 'find my' activating. I'm sure it wouldn't take them long to find/disable AirTags either.

...putting it in a faraday bag? Since tags are cheap, they can even smash it.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#188

Post by 908B64B197 »

drdaeman wrote: post #167
gruez wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>And 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.

So, this prevents some legitimate use cases, for example putting a tag in a suitcase for the flight, because it'll start beeping at some point? A shame. It would've been cool standing at that conveyor belt at the airport and rather than staring at the luggage as it comes, being able to sense one's own stuff. Also, seems that it's not suitable for putting on a cat or dog's collar for the same reason.

Also rental gear.

I could see businesses being a lot more willing to loan equipment for a trial period if they could put a tag on it.

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#189

Post by mikestew »

908B64B197 wrote: post #177
crazygringo wrote: post #71

I thought one of the big use cases for this was to track stolen items, like a backpack or maybe even a bicycle. But the "anti-stalking" feature will notify someone if an AirTag they don't own appears to be traveling with them. Does this render it useless for anti-theft, then? Since it will just notify a thief that the bike they just stole is being tracked, and they can look for the AirTag and throw it in the nearest…

> Does this render it useless for anti-theft, then? The other question is: when presented with evidence of stolen property, will the local PD enforce the law and assist with the retrieval of said property?

That's already been answered. Stories abound about "Find My Doohickie said it was at this address. I even knocked on the door, and the person that answered said, 'yup, have your phone, whatta ya gonna do about it?'. Cops said file it with insurance." Cops don't care about a $1000 phone, they're not going to care about your bicycle, either (which has also been proven on multiple occasions).

Re: Apple Introduces AirTag

#190

Post by cute_boi »

matthew-wegner wrote: post #131
freeflight wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also originally wondered about that, but they use Bluetooth for tracking. Doesn't mention what version, but even with Bluetooth 5.0 the maximum range would be around 400 m/1.000 ft under ideal circumstances. So the tracking would only work if you actively pursued the target to stay in range. Probably much more practical to go for an actual GPS-tracker, magnetic versions of those can be bought on Amazon for like 50…

Any iOS device will relay the AirTag’s beacons to iCloud—-not just your devices. If you lose a tracked device, you can see its location if a random person’s Internet-enabled iDevice hears any of its chirps. The stranger’s device doing the relaying is unable to decrypt the contents; it just forwards the data to Apple.

hmm I don't think I would like my device should send data for others property (AirTag) becons to cloud?

Why should I spent my data cost to send beacons for someone else?

I hope it can be disabled.

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