Last year's release of Apple's AirTag made Bluetooth tracking devices popular with many users, though Apple he certainly wasn't the first to come up with something like that. But it was this American company that was able to integrate its AirTags into its global Find network, giving this product a clear edge over its competition. Now he could bring something like that too Android.
AirTags are able to communicate anonymously with Apple products of all users in the world with the appropriate operating system and report their location back to the owners. This, of course, creates a huge, unrivaled network, thanks to which localizations are also surprisingly accurate, especially in countries where it has Apple large user base. Android it doesn't yet have similar system-level tracking support, though what it doesn't have now could of course change in the future.
Samsung SmartTags
Unknown device warning
Indeed, the latest Google Play update (22.12.13) contains several new strings revealed by the magazine 9to5Google, which refer to ongoing work on similar functionality. There is even a mention of "unknown device alert", which should probably be the detection of unknown locators in the user's vicinity, thus preventing unauthorized tracking of people and objects. If the functionality were to Android devices eventually implemented, we would probably find it in Settings and menu Safety and emergency situations.
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The application also refers to three different types of tags: “ATag" (probable short for AirTag), "Tile tag"And"Finder tag". It is not yet clear if this feature would only work as a locator scanner, much like the standalone app released by Applem for users Androidfor those concerned about being tracked by AirTag, or whether Google plans to roll out broader tag features in the system Android and this is only part of them. You can download Tracking Detector for unknown AirTags (and other Find Compatible locators) for free from Google Play.
Apple Tracking Detector app
Of course, we hope for the second option, even if starting such a platform will probably not be completely easy, also due to the fragmentation of the system, or the individual superstructures of the manufacturers. Localization label support on Androidu is currently rich, but just selected according to the manufacturer. Samsung SmartTags currently require the SmartThings app to track, Tile devices require the Tile app, Fixed devices require Fixed Smart, etc.
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Without the system-level support that AirTags enjoy, there's little you can do with these locators. Or rather you do, but unknowingly someone else doesn't. It's also true that even if it ends up being just the scanner in question, it's still a step in the right direction to make smartphone users safer from unwanted surveillance. However, Google I/O 2022 starts already on May 11, so we may get more information soon.
