On Monday, Apple and Google made a big announcement. They said that soon, iPhone and Android users will get alerts if there might be a Bluetooth device trying to track them. This means if someone is using a device to follow you without your permission, your phone will warn you.
This new feature is called “Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers.” It will start working on Monday for Apple’s iOS 17.5 and Android 6.0+ devices.
Here’s how it works: if your phone notices a Bluetooth device that you didn’t pair with, it will send you a message saying something like “[Item] Found Moving With You.” This way, you’ll know if something strange is going on.
Why are they doing this? Well, there have been cases where people use Bluetooth trackers, like Apple’s AirTags, to follow others without them knowing. These trackers were meant to help find lost items like keys, but some people have been using them in a bad way.
To stop this, Apple and Google decided to work together last year. They wanted to find a way to warn people if they were being tracked by Bluetooth devices. Apple even made an app for Android phones called “Tracker Detect” to help people find AirTags near them.
Now, they’re taking it a step further by making a standard for all Bluetooth trackers. This means that companies that make these trackers, like Chipolo and Motorola, will have to follow these rules to keep people safe.
Apple and Google say they’re still working on making this standard even better. They’re getting help from a group called the Internet Engineering Task Force, which makes rules for the internet. Together, they want to make sure that everyone stays safe from unwanted tracking.
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