Apple has launched a Android App that will help promote privacy For Android users. was dubbed find tracker App, it was released by Apple on Google Play Store. The new app aims to help Android users identify unexpected AirTag and other Find My Network-equipped sensors that may be nearby. “If you think someone is using AirTag or any other device to track your location, you can scan it to try to find it,” the app says.
Apple AirTags are small tracking devices launched earlier this year. The tracker can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them if they are lost. Adding Tracker Detect is another layer of security for Android users.
“AirTag provides industry-leading privacy and security features and today we are expanding new capabilities to Android devices. Tracker Detect gives Android users the ability to scan for AirTag or supported Find My enabled item trackers that may be traveling with them without their knowledge. We are raising the bar on privacy for our users and the industry, and hope others will follow,” Apple said in a statement.
If the Tracker Detect app detects an unexpected airtag that is away from its owner, it will play a sound within 10 minutes of detecting the tracker. Apple says it can take up to 15 minutes for the tracker to be detached from its owner before it appears in the app. The tracker will then be marked as “Unknown Airtag” in the app.
Apple will also instruct Android users to remove the battery from within the app itself. It will also warn users to contact law enforcement if the person believes their safety is at risk because of the item tracker.
Apple updated its AirTags in June with new software to extend the time period after which an Airtag that is no longer with its owner will play sound when transferred. The time was set for three days at launch, but this was extended to a random time between 8 and 24 hours. The time window will act as a deterrent against bad actors using airtags to track down someone.
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